


When the Bell Tower Tolls

by DareDreemer, TiBun



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Bottom Alan, Horror, Lemons, M/M, Romance, Top William, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-01-19 03:31:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 34
Words: 161,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1453846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DareDreemer/pseuds/DareDreemer, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiBun/pseuds/TiBun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>William and Grell both made a grave mistake when they took out a demon who had threatened a collection job Grell had been assigned to. And with William's blossoming relationship with Alan Humphries, just what is the price he'd pay for his mistake? What is Grell's?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: We do not own any reconizable characters. We only explore the possibilities.

_Cover Art by[Marimaripink](http://marimaripink.tumblr.com/)_

 

"Sutcliff..! How many times must I tell you to stop messing with demons? Honestly...!" Will scolded, his scythe whizzing past the obnoxious reaper's, crimson head.

Another day, another reap—or that was how it was suppose to be. But unfortunately for William T. Spears, the Shinigami Dispatch supervisor, fate would have other plans.

It was a crisp morning in gloomy, old London. The fog had blanketed over the city, casting an eerie spell over its inhabitants. The only mortals running around, were the lamp extinguishers, the milk man and the newsstand operators. Unbeknownst to the mortals of the realm, a battle was ensuing on the grand green of Hyde Park. A battle between reaper and demon.

Grell Sutcliff the foremost pain in the Dispatch supervisor's hip had been scheduled to collect the soul of a one, Mister James Fenimore Cooper, who was to die from the influenza. He had been hiding in the park ever since he had lost his wife and son, two months prior. He had become addicted to the bottle and been evicted from his home. Winter had not yet departed and the poor soul had caught the nasty virus. Without medical care and a warm place to sleep the virus had claimed his life. Grell arrived in time to watch the man take his final breath. Not realizing that trouble lurked in the shadows.

Summoning his scythe, the redhead positioned himself to retrieve the man's soul, but the sound of a low growl had him spinning around in time to be knocked over by one very large demon.

On a whim, William had decided to check upon the mischievous reaper and found himself teleporting to the heart of Hyde Park, only to find the redhead, wrestling with the loathsome creature. The thing had the redhead by the throat and was on the verge of snapping his neck in two. William wasted no time in pulling the trigger of his own scythe. The poll extending rapidly, just barely missing Grell's ear, lodging itself in the demon's eye. The demon roared in pain releasing the redhead. Grell yelped as he hit the ground hard.

"Mr. Sutcliff... If you please?" he requested, wishing the redhead would finish the demon off with his own scythe, before Will lost control with his. "Now, Sutcliff!" he hollered, feeling the poll being pulled from his grasp.

"Give me time to get off my arse, Will!" Grell snapped, finding himself in somewhat of a bad mood over the bruise he could feel forming on his left cheek and around his eye. "Going for his ankles won't do us much good, now will it?" he pushed himself up, chainsaw in hand, and he let it roar to life, bringing it into the demon's broad, muscular pitch-black chest. Blood raining down around him from the wound he ripped into his flesh and organs. Sure, he could have killed the beast cleanly, but he wanted it to hurt. "You need to learn how to properly treat a lady, brute!" he snarled.

The beast howled in pain, in a last ditch effort he pulled the poll from his eye. The movement knocking William off balance, as he yanked the poll, causing the supervisor to fly forward. He landed hard into the back of the redhead, his scythe no longer in his hands, but in the hands of the bleeding demon.

In the briefest moment that Grell took his eyes off the demon, in shock of feeling his supervisor colliding with him, the demon threw his hand up knocking the chainsaw from the redhead's hands.

"How pathetic..." he sneered as he glared down at the two reapers. Blood poured from his open wounds, he didn't care, they were slowly healing. Not wasting another moment, he pointed the scythe at the two reapers and pulled the trigger. The scythe pierced Grell first in the shoulder, exiting his back and into William behind him. Also exiting the supervisor it penetrated the tree behind them, trapping them together.

Grell gave a sadistic grin, "Oh darling, you need to know when you play rough, sometimes, we like it!" He pushed forward, finding it faster to follow the poll rather than try to back off it to become free.

Still smiling, Grell risked himself further injury as he kicked up, digging the heel of his boot into the demon's soft underjaw.

Will watched as the foolish reaper antagonized the demon further. He pushed forward and looked over his shoulder, studying how deep the scythe had been driven into the tree.

The demon flailed back as Grell's heel met his chin, causing him to let go of the handle, of the scythe.

Without another thought, William rushed forward. His weight slamming into the back of the redhead. The force strong enough to dislodge the poll from the tree, hurling the two reapers into the disoriented demon.

"Uuuff! Warn me next time!" Grell huffed as he pulled the switch on the handle to retract the scythe and pulling it from both of them, thrusting the bloodstained scythe into it's owner's hands and lunging for his own. "Why the bloody hell are you here, anyway? You're getting in my way!"

"I had no time...I had to free us while the chance presented itself. As for your other question..." His matter of fact tone stopping briefly as he pulled the trigger, releasing the poll once more into the rushing demon, catching him in the throat. "I had a notion you might need some assistance and of course my instincts proved right once more... Now if you please Mister Sutcliff... No more dawdling and finish him."

"I had things under control, Will!" Grell hissed, rushing forward and ripping the demon in half with his scythe. "Now you'll blame me for your overtime tonight."

Will released the trigger, the demon's top half dropping to the ground in a bloody heap. Giving a distasteful look at the dismembered body he spoke, "The only over time will be this report. Collect his soul and the deceased mortal's. Make sure you go directly to the medical ward and have your wound checked and cleared. I must return to dispatch. I will expect both reports on my desk by nightfall. Along with your clearance report from the medical department. Do I make myself clear Mister Sutcliff?" He glanced back at the redhead, before teleporting back to the offices.

"But—!" Grell grumbled as his boss disappeared. He loved the man—but he was in serious need of a life outside of work. And the redhead had been around long enough to know that he wasn't the one who could do that. It's why he was trying to move on—with a handsome demon who had long caught his eye~

A pair of glowing eyes watched the dark-haired reaper disappear, while the redhead collected the two souls. Internally she growled. Her hatred burning brightly within. Her mate now taken from her, leaving her vulnerable in the world. Vowing to seek revenge upon the reapers who stole what was hers, she quietly dissolved into the shadows.

* * *

 

"Honestly...! What am I to ever do with that reaper?" Will questioned himself as he returned to the offices. He adjusted his glasses before heading to the medical ward to be examined.

Alan Humphries sighed as he sat in the infirmary, waiting for the OK from the doctor to get back to work. He had been in his office when an attack hit, and Young Ronald Knox happened by and helped him quickly to the infirmary where he received medical attention quickly.

_Thorns of Death._

He'd been cursed with the illness days before his final exam as a student, and he suffered it ever since. True, he'd grown used to it, but at the same time, he knew each attack brought him closer to the last, and because of it, he was a special case. Given very little field work, and required to have an experienced partner—mostly Eric Slingby—help each collection he did receive. He hated how he held back the entire department. If it hadn't been for Thorns, he would have quickly climbed up the ranks in the dispatch. He'd been such a promising student. Strong, smart, skillful…now needing a crutch as he hobbled along, still treated like a new recruit.

He leaned back in his seat, lacing his hands behind his head. The door opened and he watched as William walked in. His gentle green eyes widening as he spotted the amount of blood soaking the supervisor's shoulder.

"Sir…" he stood up, walking over to him, "are you alright?"

The nurse wasn't in the lobby—busy running tests on his blood sample. The small infirmary was only a branch of the main hospital, mostly established in the dispatch building for quick treatments of his Thorns. Injured reapers would normally portal straight to the Hospital right across the street.

"Mr. Humphries?" William exclaimed, surprised to run into Alan. He had hoped to avoid any of his reapers. He didn't much care for them to see him in such a state.

Clearing his throat, he covered his surprise, "I am quite well. I just had a run in with a demon, that is all. No need to make such a fuss. And you? I will presume you had another attack...?"

The smaller brunet nodded and looked down, "Right when I was finally starting to get ahead on my paperwork… Nurse Martha is running some tests to determine how far Thorns has developed since my last attack, she may be a while…" he paused, looking at the reaper's shoulder, "I may not be in the medical field, but I do know more than a little…I could take a look at that and at the very least get it cleaned up for Martha to do her tests on it, if it's a demon wound… It'll give me something to do and save you some time at the very least…" he offered.

William looked down at the smaller reaper. "It is actually a scythe wound... and as much as I appreciate the offer Mr. Humphries I could never take advantage of you. Surely you would like to rest after an attack. I wil—"

"I have been 'resting' for nearly an hour, sir. And it really is no trouble. Scythe wounds are clean cuts, anyways. Please, Mister Spears, I know you hate wasting time at work even more than I do."

Sighing, Will closed his eyes as he adjusted his glasses, "Alright Mister Humphries. You may look at it and begin cleaning it." He stepped aside and motioned the smaller reaper to proceed ahead of him, "After you."

Alan nodded, walking over to the cabinet and getting out what he needed. He was there so often, he practically lived there and knew where everything was. As he filled a basin with warm water, he motioned for William to sit and he approached him, sitting next to him on the examination table, "please remove your jacket, vest, and shirt, at least from that shoulder." He requested professionally as he readied a sanitary cloth with warm water to begin cleaning.

Despite his arm growing stiff, Will quickly undid the buttons of his waistcoat and shirt. Carefully he slid them down, wincing slightly in pain. Pulling his arm free from the clothing revealed how nasty the wound truly was. It was a clean hole from front to back. But the area surrounding both, the entry and exit wounds were aggravated and inflamed. Infection appeared to be setting in. If he looked this bad, then what of Grell's? He had been left behind to collect the souls, surely his wound would be just as infected or worse. Will made a mental note to check in on the redhead, just to make sure he had not suffered worse.

Scythe wounds were dangerous and could be deadly, infection was typically the cause of death when cut or wounded by one. Treatment needed to begin immediately. Had he been a fool to leave Sutcliff alone in the field? Perhaps he was to hasty and should have stayed to make sure he returned safely? He could have collected the soul of the demon, while Grell collected the soul of the mortal. Regrettably he had left and now could only hope that the insufferable redhead made it back in time to be treated.

William's attention was abruptly brought back to the brunet as he pressed the cloth to the wound. "Ahh...sss..." he hissed, the water stinging his torn flesh.

"Well what did you expect? This wasn't going to feel like kittens gently nuzzling you!" Alan smirked as he dabbed the damp cloth a few more times, until there was too much blood on the cloth and he rinsed it out before returning to the task.

"Mister Humphries, I can assure you I never expected it to...feel good. However, one can not help the way the body reacts to such injuries." he replied, matter-of -fact. Wincing once more as Alan reapplied the damp cloth to the wound.

"…Sorry, sir, I'm used to doing this for Eric…he's such a big baby when it comes to things like this that I got used to teasing him over it…"

"Why does that not surprise me about Slingby? He puts on such a tough face…I am sure inside he would be as such." A tiny chuckle escaped the supervisor, forgetting himself.

Alan smiled, moving around to clean the back-side of the wound, "Don't tell him I told you, though. I'd never hear the end of it, and it's hard enough getting him to focus on his work."

Will adjusted his glasses once again, "Of course. It is highly improper to stand around gossiping. I never do any such thing. I would never breathe a word to Mister Slingby. That I can most assure you of, Mister Humphries."

"Alan." The younger said, rinsing out the cloth again, "…Or Al. Technically, we aren't in the office, sir."

"Pardon me Mister Humphries?" Will asked, unsure of what the brunet was referring to.

"Call me by my first name. It's more comfortable when we aren't in a professional setting." He explained.

William responded with a nod, "Alright, I suppose that is acceptable Mister Hump... I mean Alan." he smiled, but not widely. "You may call me William if you like, in private of course."

He reached out and touched the brunet's hand, that sat on his shoulder. "Thank you... For cleaning my wound."

Alan gave him a warm heart-felt smile, "It's not a problem, William. It's what friends are for… Okay, now this will hurt more." He said, setting aside the cloth and picking up a needle to carefully stitch together the wound.

"Alan what are you doing? Shouldn't a doctor look at the wound first? I mean before it is stitched up?" asked William nervously.

Will had one very bad fear. Needles. Nothing could freak the stoic reaper out more than a shiny, silver needle. He could take many forms of pain and endure just about anything else slicing into his skin. But just the mere thought of that tiny needle, piercing his skin, had his palms sweating. He began to feel light headed.

"Alan…I think...I think you should...hold..." William's voice trailed off as he fell back onto the table, fainting.

"…You are just as difficult as Eric…" Alan sighed, unfazed by the reaper's episode. He was trained in most smaller medical procedures, such as stitches, and he knew when something would need to be closed up. William's shoulder needed it, and the longer it stayed open, the more prone to infection it became.

He simply shifted, quickly stitching up both sides of the wound with a row on neat little stitches before gently applying a cream to help fight the infection that had already started. He wrapped his shoulder in bandages to keep it clean and then cleaned up his mess.

An hour or so later, William stirred. He groaned as he tried to roll over. He was covered with a blanket, his shirt, coat and waistcoat all had been removed from his person. He blinked a few times, before turning his head. He was still in the small examining room.

"What happened? How did I...?" he questioned, raising his hand to his aching head.

"Mister Humphries said you fainted on him while he was seeing to your wound." A soft voice drifted to his ears from the tall nurse sitting at her desk, going over notes, "He fixed you up for me and returned to his work."

Painfully, Will pushed himself up. His head turning to look at his shoulder. Gently he reached up and touched it.

"How long was I out?" he inquired, cringing from the discomfort.

"Roughly an hour would be my best guess. I was just thinking about breaking out the smelling salts if you didn't come too, soon."

"An hour! " Will bellowed.

He hoped from the table, steadying himself for a moment as he was still a bit groggy. Quickly he gathered his clothes and proceeded to slip them back on. He looked over at the nurse as he did so.

"Tell me... Has there been any word on Mister Sutcliff? Did he return and get treated?"

She shook her head, setting down her pen, "He never comes here. He has a slight crush on Doctor Mathis. He always goes to him in the main building. I could call over to check if you wish."

With a defeated sigh, Will headed for the exit. His tie and waistcoat in hand, opting not to put them back on.

He dashed down the hall and out of the main doors of the dispatch office building and crossed the street to the hospital. Heading straight for the nurses station as he entered.

"Yes... I need to know if Mr. Sutcliff checked in and was treated?" he informed the nurse who, looked up and smiled at him as he entered.

"He's still is here. Doctor Mathis is trying to shake him…again."

"Which room?" Will asked, sighing yet again. His head beginning to pound harder, the thought of having to pry the overly flirtatious reaper from the doctor.

"Office number ten." She pointed in the direction of the offices.

"Thank you." he acknowledged as he took his leave and headed to the examining room, that the redhead had the poor doctor cornered in. William knocked, waiting to be invited in as he stood before room ten.

"He's busy!" Grell's voice called out at the interruption.

"Mister Sutcliff…"

"Please. It's 'Miss', and you know it~" Grell giggled.

"I am on the clock. I don't have time for this, and you need to get back to work yourself."

Adjusting his glasses, Will took a deep breath and turned the knob on the door, pushing it opened. "Mister Sutcliff...let the poor man be, you have work...Mister Sutcliff, for pities sake, put some clothes on!" Quickly Will turned away, his cheeks turning bright red.

The poor doctor was pinned against the wall, by a very naked Grell Sutcliff. Who was once again trying to get his way with the doctor who had caught the crimson reaper's fancy.

"How very improper indeed! Can you not control yourself, Grell Sutcliff?" William blustered. His patience growing thin with the redhead once more.

"Hmm? Oh, Will~ You're just jealous that you missed your chance with me~" he giggled.

Exasperated, Will's fists clenched at his sides, "This is precisely the reason I deliberately missed my 'chance' as you put it.  _You_  do not know how to be a proper individual. Now...kindly remove yourself from the doctor and put your clothes back on...you have a ton of work to do."

"You're no fun." He huffed, pulling back from the doctor and crossing his arms, "And you are going to live for eternity never knowing how exciting love can be. Even lust…"

The doctor excused himself and exited the room leaving the redhead alone with his supervisor. Still with his back turned to Grell, Will gritted his teeth, replying to the obvious jab at his pride. "Sutcliff...! My personal affairs are none of your concern."

Unable to keep his frustration at bay any longer with the redhead, Will turned on him. Before Grell could react, Will's fingers found their way around his throat, pinning him to the wall. Giving no regard that the reaper still was unclothed.

"Sutcliff I have had enough of your silly flirtations. I have never and will never be interested in you. Practically from the day we met you have chased after me. I am tired of it. I am tired of you putting yourself in danger and most of all endangering your colleagues, whom you disregard. Get dressed and get back to work...NOW!" He bellowed, letting go of the reaper. He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"And my personal affairs are none of yours!" Grell gasped, narrowing his eyes as he rushed to the door to yell down the hall, "And playing rough with me won't change that! You are as blind as you are handsome, William T. Spears! How could you not have noticed that I have not hung off you for over three months? I'm moving on you mentally abusive git!"

"Blasted... nuisance..." Will said under his breath as he stepped into the cool breeze, heading back to the offices. He still had reports that had to be taken care of before he retired for the day. Injured, it didn't matter he had to finish them.

Frustrated and in pain the supervisor stepped into the lift, trying to calm himself, he took a few deep breaths. The ding went off, indicating the lift was stopping. He looked up to discover it was a couple of floors before his own. The doors opened, revealing who was requesting the ride up.

"Mister Humphries..." he acknowledged as the brunet stood before him.

"Sir…" Alan blinked as he stepped onto the lift, "It's good to see you up again…but you look terribly stressed…"

"I am well..." Will attempted a smile. "I would like to thank though...for my shoulder."

"Not a problem. You were a better patient than Eric or Ronald." He smiled as the lift's doors opened with a ding on their floor and they stepped out, "Of course, they are both much more reckless compared to you." He chuckled.

"Between those two and Sutcliff it is a miracle that this department has not been shut down." Will replied, looking over the cubicles of the junior field officers as they sat diligently working on their reports. Working hard to move up to senior positions.

He shook his head, "If only those three could be as efficient."

"Ronald's a dedicated worker…when he's kept away from distractions…When I found out he got himself a boyfriend, I thought he'd spend less time being the office flirt, and more time working…but then I found out who his boyfriend is and…" he sighed, shaking his head, "It's amazing they get any work done around this office…"

"Mister Knox's affairs are none of my concern Mister Humphries... So long as he gets his reports done on time, I could careless what he does in his free time. That is unless he is breaking company policy and doing things on the clock. Should I be made aware of anything Mister Humphries?" William asked, looking down at the smaller reaper at his side.

"He's not dating me. I wouldn't know what he does with Eric on breaks. I usually stay in my office all day, after all." Alan shrugged, "My point is, the kid's a good worker away from distractions and you can really see it sometimes."

Continuing to walk down the corridor, William adjusted his glasses, "I was not insinuating you were dating the reaper...Mister Humphries. I was merely asking if I should be aware of any policy violations. Such as...well you know?" he swallowed hard, his cheeks turning red once more. He stopped and leaned into whisper to the brunet. "Trysts...Mister Humphries."

"And I answered that. I stay in my own office. I don't know what they do together." Alan pointed out. He paused as they started to pass the break room, "Would you like some tea, sir?"

Will looked up at the clock on the wall, then back at the brunet. "Yes...! Fine! Tea sounds..." He tilted his head and smiled, trying to soften his features. "Tea sounds quite nice right now. After you Mister Humphries."

Alan blinked at the sharper tone Will had started with, "I do not mean to be a waste of your time, sir…" he said, walking into the empty break room and making up a small pot of tea.

Will closed his eyes and adjusted his glasses, before stepping over the thresh hold of the break room. "Please forgive me. I did not mean to be so short with you. I am just very tired and...and that was very impolite of me. You have been nothing but helpful...to me, today. I am sincerely sorry... Mister Humphries."

His voice was tender and gentle as he apologized. His eyes holding the brunet's as he searched them for acceptance.

"It's alright, sir." Alan gave him a warm smile, "You have the most stressful job out of our whole department…and I heard rumor that Grell's been causing trouble again today. When it comes to him, rumors like that tend to ring true, and usually those are the days you seem the most tired and stressed…" he trailed off, pouring the hot water into the kettle and steeping the leaves, "You should take a holiday…you haven't had a day off in over ten years…"

"A holiday...what's that? Even if I desired one, I would be denied one. The department is a mess and behind. We are short handed and the new recruits are no where near ready for field work. The last batch are so green and unprepared."

Will closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as his headache pounded harder against his skull. He leaned against the counter with his backside for support. He felt light headed again and the room seemed to sway as he reopened his eyes.

"Have a little more faith in them. They are young, yes, but they passed the exam and work hard… Sugar? Honey? Milk?" Alan asked, pouring two cups of tea and prepping his own with a little honey.

"Just sugar." Will replied. "I am sure one day they will make excellent filed officers, Mister Humphries... But as for the time being, I cannot assign them such hazardous missions. Some, I have begun to allow to shadow senior officers. Those that I believe are ready to study in the field. Solo missions, however are a far way off. "

"Still, taking two or three days off won't hurt the department." Alan said, preparing William's tea and handing it to him before picking up his own and taking a sip, finally looking back at his boss, "And you'll come back feeling refreshed and ready for the work day again."

He didn't know why. Maybe it was the way the brunet was looking at him or it was the preposterous idea of taking a holiday, but William found himself chuckling, despite the dizzy spell that was assailing him. "That's it is it? Take a few days off and all my woes will be remedied?"

"For a week at least." Alan smiled "I'm afraid that if you want a cure it'd take a much longer time away from your work and responsibilities."

William sipped his tea and contemplated the idea. What if he did take a holiday? What would he do? Would he take leave and head into the country? Perhaps venture to the continent? He shook his head, "Impossible." he murmured.

"Even workaholics need breaks, sir. And it's not impossible. Two days. Go home, sleep in, take a nice relaxing bath…just relax. You'll feel better, I promise."

"Is that so... you can guarantee that I will feel better? I highly doubt that Mister Humphries." Will scoffed.

Will turned his head and looked at the brunet. "What would you do in my shoes. If you had the chance to take a holiday? And mind you I do take one day a month off, so I do have days off. But if you were in my shoes, what would you do? Would you stay in London or venture out of country?"

"Honestly? I'd travel a little…" Alan leaned against the counter and looked out the window, "See more of the world before I…" he shook his head, "But that's just me."

"Perhaps you should Mister Humphries. I would be more than happy to give you the time off, if you requested it. You deserve it. You work hard. You're punctual and reliable. I don't see why you shouldn't travel and see what the world has to offer." William suggested, his eyes wandering over Alan's body.

"Because I—I don't know how long I have…and I'd rather be with friends when I go…"

Sipping his tea once more, Will wondered what it would be like to have friends. Work had never allowed him to socialize. He had moved up in the ranks rather quickly after becoming a field officer. To many reapers relied on him to be proficient and responsible. He didn't have the luxury of socializing, even if he had desired it. No, being alone and married to his work was his only option. At this moment he should be working, rather than sipping tea in the break room with one of his reapers. But in all honesty he was weary and tired. He was in pain and his head throbbed. He wished more than anything to be at home, reading a good book by the fire, enjoying some much needed peace and quiet.

"Humphries... I will take some time off as you suggest under one condition."

"Oh? And what's that, sir?" Alan asked, clearly amused by the idea of such a proposition.

"You must take a holiday as well..." Will replied, raising the cup of tea to his lips as he looked towards the door, avoiding the brunet's astonished expression.

"Me, sir?"

"Yes... Take a holiday of your own and I will take one as well." Without another word, Will pushed himself away from the counter and marched out of the break room. Not glancing back, he headed down the corridor, straight to his office.

Alan was left alone blinking in surprise. He took short holidays…he was forced too, usually by doctors. He didn't expect William to insist that he take yet another one when it had been a month since his last one.

William opened the door to his office and resumed his seat. He looked at the stack of reports awaiting his review and signature. He sat the ruined waistcoat and tie down on the desk.

"What did I just do?" he asked himself puzzled. "Why would I make such an absurd deal with Humphries?"

He opened a report in front of him and began to skim over its pages. Signing it once he reached the end of it. Closing it, he tossed it into the 'need to be filed' box.

"I must be losing it. Perhaps I should take time off. No I cannot afford to do such a thing." he mumbled to himself as he began another report.

Growing restless and unable to concentrate he pushed his chair back and walked to the window. He raised the blinds and peered out. His thoughts drifting as he watched the clouds roll by. He lost all sense of time, captivated by their movements and transformations.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

Will stood in the middle of his kitchen. The night had proved to be a sleepless night. The pain in his shoulder keeping him awake for the most part. He refused to take any pain killers. He hated the way they made him feel and they often left him with a sour stomach. He quietly sipped his morning tea, while he waited for his toast to brown. A light breakfast, he figured, would help him feel better. He picked up the London newspaper and began to read it. He rather enjoyed seeing what was happening in the mortal realm. The front pages were mostly crime stories, murders always got the headlines.

The toast popped up from the tiny toaster. Will placed the two slices on a small plate and carried them to his table. He spread strawberry jam, his favorite, over the bread and he ate it quickly. He needed to be off and on his way. Work, never ending work.

A loud, firm knock at the door interrupted William's quick breakfast. "Oi! Senpai! You in? This had better be the right apartment…the last two I tried were wrong and man, you got some grumpy neighbors!" Ronald Knox's voice called out.

Jumping, William dropped the slice of toast in his hand. Sighing he stood up and walked to his front door. He adjusted his glasses before turning the knob.

"What the devil are you doing here Knox? This better be of grave importance." he stated, stepping aside, inviting the young reaper into his home.

Ronald held up a letter, "Hey, don't over-time the messenger! Eric sent me—ah! But don't overtime him, either! He has a hot date tonight." The cheery blond grinned, "He sent me because he's the highest-ranking reaper in dispatch when you aren't in and he has to juggle a few things around for ya…but this is important, I swear!" the smile fell off his face at the thought of why he was there, "Alan-senpai had another attack last night…a big one. Eric's listed as his 'next of kin' in the records so he got the call early this morning. Doc says he's stuck in bed until further notice."

"I take it he was admitted to the hospital then? I suppose I should stop by and check upon him." Will inquired as he thought about the smiling brunet the day before. How he had been so kind and helpful wanting to take care of his own injury.

"Is there anything else Mister Knox, or was that it?"

"That's it, sir." He checked his watch, "And I got to go…got a collection in a few! See ya at work, Senpai!" he thrust the doctor's note into William's hand and dashed off.

"Honestly!" Will uttered as he looked down at the message in his hands.

William's eyes scanned the note, penned by a Doctor Graves. Apparently, Alan had suffered the attack, around nine thirty the previous night. He had suffered a seizure in the process and was now stable in the hospital, but under observation in the Intensive Care Unit. Will folded the note and tucked it in his inner coat pocket. He picked up his keys, locking his flat behind him, heading straight for the hospital. The least he could do was check on the brunet after all he had done for him the day before.

Once William arrived at the Hospital, a nurse tending the front desk told him what room he was in. Thanking her, he hurried up to the third floor and to the younger reaper's room.

The door was left open, and inside the brightly lit room Alan sat bathed in the sunlight that shown through the window. His pale skin looking even paler against the white bedding and hospital gown covering him. A vase of Ericas sat on the side table next to him, and wires attached him to a monitor that was reading all his vitals.

The young man lay back against the pillows propping him up, his gaze focused out the window at the treetops and clouds he could see.

William had never visited the younger reaper in the hospital. He rarely checked on any of his subordinates. He was usually too preoccupied to do so with work. He was astounded by the sight of Alan laying there, attached to so many wires and tubes. His heart sunk. He felt awful, how could this generous and kind being. This hard working and dedicated reaper, have been handed such a fate. Alan didn't deserve this. He may not know him all that well outside the office, but he knew enough to know, that his after life had been a cruel punishment. A joke. Gently he cleared his throat, not wanting to startle the reaper.

"Good morning Mister Humphries. May I enter?" Will requested, waiting for permission.

Alan turned his gaze from the window and gave a warm smile to his visitor, "I didn't expect you to visit me, William…I'm sorry for causing you and the rest more work, covering for me."

Stepping nervously into the room, William walked up to the foot of the bed. "How do you feel? And do not worry yourself over work. We will manage." he cracked a forced smile, his lips still pressed firmly together.

Alan gave a light chuckle, "Yesterday you told me that you would take a short vacation from work if I did…but you left before I could explain to you that this was why I never put in for a few days off. I miss work so much it's unfair to my coworkers if I go requesting more time off."

"I see your point... However, Mister Humphries, one could not consider this a holiday. This is forced leave of absence and you are not out relaxing or taking in the sites, you are being forced to stay abed. I merely meant you should take some time off to enjoy the world." Will explained.

His eyes could not help but wander over Alan and the machines. The heart monitor beeping in his ears. He noticed the tiny drops in the IV. There was a ten second delay between each one. The room smelled sterile and felt cold. This was not a place for any reaper to have to stay, yet there sat the tiny, brunet. A smile still painted his lips.

Alan gave a small shrug, "I'm used to this. This very room is my second home." He motioned around at his surroundings.

The room was more personal than any other room in the hospital. The walls, while painted the same pale pink color as the rest of the rooms for long-term stays, were adorned with framed photographs. Memories he had made with Eric, mostly, and a few with Ronald and Grell. One or two held pictures of people William wouldn't recognize at all, and one held an old painting of a young woman with soft brown curls, holding a bundled baby.

Books lined the top of a white painted dresser, and personal items could be seen tucked in nicely in a few places. It was apparent that these things were kept like this for the young man who spent so much time in this very room.

William's eyes glanced around the room as Alan motioned, his eyes landing on the old oil painting, that hung next to the closet. He walked over to it, his eyes transfixed on it. He studied it for a moment, before looking over his shoulder at the brunet.

"Is this...?" he began to ask.

He figured it was most likely Alan when he was a baby, held by his mother. She was a very lovely woman. He could see where Alan had got his looks.

He favored her. She appeared gentle and kind as she doted upon her precious bundle. Her eyes were soft and full of love. A warm smile lit her face. The artist had captured the moment beautifully.

"My mother, Veronica Humphries." Alan nodded, "She died when I was three…but father always told me that I took after her."

"I apologize...I had no idea. She was very beautiful. I am sure she would be proud of you today. If she only could know." Will fiddled with his tie as he returned to the bed. "You spend a lot of time here... it seems...wrong."

Alan stretched his arms over his head and sighed, sitting up straighter in his bed, "It's just how my reaper life is. There is nothing I—or anyone can do to change it, after all. Besides, they take care of me here, and make sure I'm comfortable. I even got to choose which room I wanted." He nodded to the window again, "This room has the best view out of them all."

Curious, Will walked over to the window. Alan was right, from the floor the room was situated and angled at. He had a clear view of the mountains where the grand reaper library was built and the ocean that lapped at its foot. Here he would be able to watch the beautiful sunsets.

"I imagine you get to witness many wonderful scenes from here." Will stated, turning from the window.

"Peaceful, and violent." The younger nodded, "This spring there's also a cardinal's nest on that branch. She has a few eggs there I'll be able to watch."

"I see..." Will smiled. "May I?" he asked, pulling the chair over.

"Of course." Alan smiled and re-situated himself in his spot to more comfortably face his visitor, "If you have time to spend visiting me, that is."

"I am the boss. I highly doubt anyone will question me and if by chance they do. I will just say I was checking in on one of my reapers and that should shut them up." he assured.

In all honesty Will didn't know why he sat down. He didn't know how to have casual conversations. What should they talk about? He shifted uncomfortably in the chair, clearing his throat. The ticking of the clock on the wall sounding like a drum beat in his ears. He began to fidget, his thumbs going round each other as he laced his fingers together. He felt out of place and nervous, yet he didn't want to leave.

"Have you had breakfast yet, William?" Alan asked, "They have yet to bring up my breakfast, and when I have guests they will bring up an extra plate if you'd like."

Will looked up suddenly, "I could not impose." Though his rumbling stomach said other wise.

Alan laughed, the soft sound like a small melody, "William Spears, it is not imposing when it is offered, and I dislike eating alone in front of people when I can avoid it—it's rude."

"Alright if you insist Mister Humphries I shall join you for breakfast." he nodded. "I was interrupted this morning and skipped mine."

He winced a little, trying to hide it from his face as he shifted to sit back in the chair. The pain jolting down his arm from his shoulder.

"I'm sorry…it was probably the doctor's word about my attack last night, wasn't it?" Alan frowned, "I'm perfectly fine now, but whenever I get violent attacks they insist on keeping me for at least a day afterwards."

"As they should... Do not fret I will eat with you, so there is no need to apologize." William looked up and tried to smile once more, but the pain was a bit overbearing. "I am afraid I am not very good at socializing. I do not know quite what to talk about." He confessed as he reached up and touched his shoulder.

"Is your shoulder still bothering you? It was a scythe wound, but it still should be healing quickly…" Alan commented, his eyes following the older reaper's movements.

"Oh...umm... It's fine. Just stiff. Nothing to concern yourself with." Will lied, he was in pain and uncomfortable, but he wasn't about to tell the brunet. He didn't wish to upset the reaper. "Give it a day or two and it should be right as rain." He tried to smile again, failing miserably

"You, sir, are a horrible liar. Come here." he moved himself to the edge of his bed, letting his bare legs dangle off the side as he leaned in closer, "Let me have a look. We are in a hospital. Chances are that if you need anything for it, it's right here, anyway."

"Humphries... I cannot allow—" his words cut off by the little brunet, as he tried to refuse his medical attention, Alan was trying to provide.

"And what happens if it's growing infected?" Alan pointed out, "If you aren't comfortable with me, I can call a nurse in to look. But it should get looked at."

Sighing, William rose and sauntered over to the brunet. "Fine...Mister Humphrise you win…again." Will slipped the coat from his shoulders and draped it over the end of the bed. He began to undo his tie, "

"You do realize this highly improper for your boss to be stripping... in your hospital room?"

Alan rolled his eyes, "It's not stripping unless you start to go below the waist, sir. And intentions are pure."

The tie slid from around his neck, Will threw it over with his coat and began to fumble with the buttons of his waistcoat. "I am surprised you did not apply to be a medical reaper. Why is that? Why choose field work?" he asked, slipping the vest from his body.

"I took classes for both." The brunet started, "I was taking medical classes at night and collections classes during the day. I had wanted to be both—but then I had my first attack, and I missed the finals for medical. Eric assured me it was for the best—but I had wanted to go into the medical field more—dispatch was my back-up."

Popping the last of the buttons of his shirt, Will replied, "I was unaware you had been attempting both. I could see you being more medical. Not that you aren't a fine field officer. You just seem more relaxed and at home in a medical office, treating people or at least yesterday you did. That is until I embarrassed myself by passing out."

"I prefer helping people get better—than guiding their souls into the afterlife. Both are important, but helping people who are hurt or sick seems more rewarding." He explained, "But fate seems to hate me…"

"Do not say that... I am sure fate does not hate you. She is fickle, but I highly doubt she is completely without heart." Will smiled, looking down at the brunet as he removed his shirt. He didn't bother removing his gloves, but now he was bare chested standing in front of the quiet little reaper, with the big heart. William felt positively wicked even though it was an innocent moment and Alan was only trying to check his wound.

The brunet pulled the man closer by his wrist, as he couldn't move much further due to the tubes and wires attaching him to the medical equipment. "Hmm…" he frowned, checking both sides of the wound, "The swelling's down, and there is no sign of infection…the stitches are holding as well…it shouldn't be bothering you…"

Will froze at the touch of Alan's hand on his wrist. The fracture of contact sent a jolt through his body. He had to swallow hard before speaking, "It-it's just sore…a bit stiff. I just chose not to take anything for the pain and discomfort." He backed away, grabbing his shirt and throwing it back on.

Alan sighed, "You should have said that rather than say 'its fine'."

"I did you accused me of being a liar. I said I was fine." he winced once more. Putting the shirt back on, caused him more pain, then it did removing it. He reached up gripping his shoulder, his face contorting in pain. There was no way to hide how uncomfortable he really was.

"Another lie." Alan crossed his arms, "You are obviously in pain. It's not just stiff…" he moved back into his bed, "You should have it looked at. I can't do more than basics as I never got to take the exam."

"It is just stiff, the pain will go away in a day or two. I do not need to see another doctor. They cleared me yesterday. I just refuse to... Why am I arguing with you?" Will threw up his good hand as he resumed his seat. He sat breathing heavy, his shirt still opened, his chest rising and falling with each breath. He rubbed the back his neck and the top of his shoulder.

"You are too stubborn for your own good." Alan said, waving a hand in the air dismissively, "Fine, don't listen to me."

"I don't have time. I should not even be here. But I said I would stay through breakfast and I shall. After, I must return to work. I am behind as is, thanks to Sutcliff getting into trouble, yet again, yesterday...Honestly, do you reapers not understand?" Will snapped, agitated. Not by Alan, nor Grell, but from stress and now pain.

"Do you really think we don't understand? Do you think we really are that untrustworthy? We consider you a friend, William, even if you don't do anything with any of us outside of work. We know how much stress you go through, and we worry about you."

William looked over at the Brunet, "I am sorry Mister Humphries that I find your friend's concern for me highly unlikely. I just cannot fathom them perceiving me as anything more than their grumpy, unfeeling boss. Sutcliff excluded, who does not seem to care either way." he scoffed, resting his head against the back of the chair.

"…Sutcliff is right…you are blind." The young man huffed. "But fine, if that's how you want to be seen as, I'm sure its no trouble for you to convince people of it."

William looked up, "That is the way of it...whether I wish it or not. I can not change that fact Mister Humphries."

"That's not true! There is a difference between work attitude and social attitude—and I have already seen your other side these past two days."

"I am afraid mine vary, very little. I do not believe management should fraternize with their subordinates. It can interfere with work and then what good will come of that? No... I chose this life. I accept it." William rambled with a hint of sadness in his voice.

He may have chose to accept the position he was offered as supervisor, but deep down inside he was lonely and longed to be carefree. He was jealous of the reapers under his command. They had each other, while he had no one.

"That is a load of crap. As long as you stay professional on the clock there is no problem with having a social life—with or without your subordinates." Alan pointed out. "Even the Highers have lovers, friends, and lives outside work—why can't you?"

Will found himself, dumbfounded and unable to speak. The blasted brunet had him pinned. He was right, there were no excuses. He just made it all up in his head to avoid... To avoid what? Friendship? Love? Heartache? He looked over at Alan. "What pray tell me do you suggest Mister Humphries, since you seem so sure I should have a social life?" he quirked a brow, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It's your choice on if you do or not, sir, but you do have the choice. And with that choice is the chance at your coworkers meeting the real you—and not the persona you wear as a mask at work, making you seem like just a cold workaholic."

"I understand that Mister Humphries, but again I ask you... What do you suggest?" Will shrugged. "Since it is your idea and you are so sure. When you get out of here...What would you like to do?"

"I spend time with my friends. Eric, Ron, or Grell, usually. We go out and have dinner, or go to the pub, though I don't really enjoy drinking. Sometimes Grell and I go shopping, or we go to the theater."

Will's brow rose at the mention of the theater. "Opera or plays?"

"Both." Alan said simply. "Grell prefers the Opera, but I enjoy both equally."

"Opera then it is... We can grab a bite to eat and then proceed to the opera. I believe there is an opera about to open at the Royal Opera House in London. If my memory serves me correctly it is entitled, La traviata. Do you enjoy Italian operas?" Will asked to confirm.

Alan blinked in surprise, having not expected William to take him to the opera after fighting the idea of being social so much. But he nodded with a small smile. "That sounds perfect. I look forward to it."

"Then that is settled.. " Nodding, sheepishly Will looked at the brunet and asked, "Breakfast? Do you suppose they will be up with some sometime soon?"

"It's here." a nurse said, pushing in a cart, "It took a little longer because word was sent that Mister Humphries had a guest. I was waiting for you two to finish your conversation about the opera first." She smiled, setting up their meals for them and leaving swiftly.

William pulled his shirt closed as he bowed his head to the nurse.

"How embarrassing..." he grumbled after she had exited.

"She's a nurse…and you are a man. Having an open shirt is not showing her anything she's never seen before. Besides, that's Lily. She's happily married to Tina in General affairs. She's not into men at all." Alan teased, picking up his fork.

"It is still improper... Never mind." Will dismissed his comment, picking up his own fork and diving into the ham and eggs on his own plate.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

"I can't Eric. I've already made plans." Alan said as he pulled on a casual suit. He'd been released by the doctors, able to leave just moments before—and William had plans to take him out for a nice social evening once he got out of work. "Besides, I don't want to be the third wheel on your date with Ronnie. You two go have fun, and try not to get too drunk. I'll be having a nice quiet evening at the Opera."

"You and Sutcliff are always going to those damn things. Doncha ever get tired of them? And ya know you aren't no third wheel with Ron an' I. We love ya bein' with us." Eric replied, sitting with his arm draped over the back of the chair he was occupying.

Eric Slingby, Alan's mentor and one of his best friends, sat with his leg crossed over the other, his ankle resting on his knee. He was fussing as usual, trying to convince the brunet to venture to a pub for drinks. He was always trying to get Alan to loosen up and prowl around with Ronald and himself. But as usual the brunet was putting up excuses.

"I happen to enjoy the Theater." Alan said simply, straightening his tie and turning from the mirror to look at Eric, "And you know perfectly well I don't like drinking. I enjoy keeping a sound mind, thank you, and the hangovers, I am very much glad to be without." With a sigh, he walked over to Eric and pulled the slouching man up straight in his seat, buttoning his top button and tightening his tie, "Why don't you surprise your cute little boyfriend and take him out on a proper date? A nice dinner, maybe. A nice glass of wine by the fireplace…I know you can be romantic."

"Huh... You obviously don' know Ron very well. He ain't romantic. He'd rather have a scotch, than wine. The boy can eat though. Hardy appetite for lotta things." Eric winked with a smirk, pulling his tie loose and unbuttoning his top button.

"Ronnie has his romantic side too, Eric." Alan said, rolling his eyes, "And please. I don't want to know about what you two do in bed together!"

Eric chuckled, "I can assure ya, Ron's romantic side is on his..."

A sounding knock filled the room as William stood in the doorway of Alan's hospital room.

"I hope I am not intruding?" he asked politely.

Alan turned around and smiled, "No, not at all, William, come in. I'm just about ready to go." He turned back to Eric, "And I'm not sure I want you to finish that statement about Ronald…"

With a turn of his wrist and cock to his grin, Eric dismissed the brunet. "Whateva..."

As William stepped into the room Eric looked up at his boss and spoke, "So what ya doin' here boss? Wait!" he jumped and looked over at the brunet. "Is he goin' with ya an' Sutcliff or somethin'?"

"I said I'm going to the Opera tonight…I never said anything about Grell." Alan pointed out, tucking the book he'd been reading most of the day back in its place, "It'll just be William and I this time."

Eric stood up from his seat and threw his arm around the supervisor's shoulders, a goofy grin planted on his face. "So is this like a date or somethin'? I did'na know Spears here had his eye on ya, Al. Ya take care of him ya here me boss or I'll-"

"Mister Slingby if you'll please. This is not a date. Even if it was, it is of no concern of yours. Now kindly please remove your arm from my person." Will quirked his eyebrow, staring the blond down, his lip twitching in irritation.

"Sure boss... if ya say so." Eric snickered, removing his arm from around William's neck.

Casually, Eric walked over to the brunet, "Him?" he motioned to the tall dark reaper on the other side of the bed.

"It's not a date, Eric. We are going out as friends." He repeated William's claim and looked up at the taller reaper, "You know very well that I don't date, and you know why I don't."

"If ya two say so...but I wasn' aware that Spears an ya were so close, Al."

Becoming flustered and agitated by the blond's remarks, William cut in. "Mister Slingby, if you please...! Whether Mister Humphries and I are friends, is none of your business."

"Go pick Ronnie up for your date, Eric, before you find yourself with extra overtime this week!" Alan gave the blond a warm, teasing smile, pushing him out the door, "Give the boy something appropriate to talk about tomorrow."

Will turned around, catching sight of the brunet as he turned from the door. He let out a pent up sigh, "I did not handle that very socially, did I?" he asked, a tinge of pink dusting his cheeks.

"Putting up with Eric's teasing isn't the best way of getting use to a social life." Alan shook his head, "He's not done with the teasing, I'm sure, but he'll likely be targeting me tomorrow at work, not you."

"I just don't understand why he has to meddle in personal affairs. What you or I do off the clock is our own business." he replied, perplexed. Will shook his head and adjusted his glasses, "Mister Humphries... are you ready to head to dinner or do you still need some time here?" he asked, straightening his coat.

"He's my friend, and he likes to know I'm happy." Alan shrugged, walking over to William, "And I'm ready to go."

Will smiled, "Please accept my deepest apologies for my behavior."

"No need, William." Alan smiled and gestured out the door, "Shall we?"

"Italian or French?" Will asked as they began heading down the corridor of the hospital. "Or do you prefer some other cuisine?"

"I'm not picky, but the French restaurant is closer to the theater."

"French it is..." he replied as they stepped into the lift, that would take them to the lobby. Soon they would be out of the hospital and on their way to the restaurant.

Once they were outside, Alan closed his eyes, breathing in the fresh air of Reaper London. The hospital was always so stuffy and smelled of chemicals. Together, they walked to the gates that would portal them to mortal London, where a cab was waiting for them. A reaper could form a portal with their scythes, but for casual trips it was preferred that reapers travel by mortal means. It took energy to form portals, after all, and it would drain that energy from the reaper himself.

Alan sat in his seat, hands on his knees as they sat in an awkward silence, the carriage swaying slightly as it moved through the busy streets.

Clearing his throat, Will looked at the brunet sitting across from him. He noticed the way Alan sat, he was busy looking out the window, but turned his head, when he heard him clearing the phlegm from his throat. Will smiled briefly at the reaper, trying to decide if he should say something or not. If he did, what should he say? Inside he was terribly nervous and shaky. He didn't quite understand his physical behavior. It wasn't like he hadn't been around, and in close proximity of many reapers over the years. Perhaps it was due to this being the first time he had ever tried to associate with one outside the office. Whatever the cause; William found his palms sweaty beneath his black, leather gloves and his cheeks felt flushed once more. "Do you understand Italian...Mister Humphries?" he asked in casual conversation, hoping to break the silence that sat uncomfortably between them.

"A little, not incredibly fluent in it, though." The brunet nodded with a small encouraging smile. He didn't want to scare the man back into his workaholic ways so quickly, after all. But so far he'd done most of the talking between the two of them, pushing the man into a conversation…and he hadn't known why.

He didn't want to keep 'forcing' William, so the fact that it had been Will who broke the silence made him feel better about it.

"I take it though you are still able to enjoy the opera...even with limited understanding of the language?" Will asked, curiously.

He knew it would be no problem for him he was fluent in Italian as well as French and several other languages. But he was not sure of the younger reaper, if he had studied any other languages or not. Will found learning other forms of speech was not only beneficial to his job, but was relaxing, enjoyable.

"I may have times that I won't understand, but I can usually figure it out enough to follow the story. And it doesn't mean I don't enjoy the music."

"I am glad to hear of that... I can assist you if you need. I am proficient in the language." Will offered.

Nervously, he looked out the window. He didn't know what else to say. He was so bad at things like this. Eric Slingby had not been to far off his mark, William almost felt as though he was on a date.

What a silly thought.

"Thank you." Alan smiled, "How would you like to split the costs tonight?" he asked suddenly, "It's easier when dinner's on one bill. Grell and I usually trade off on one of us paying for dinner, the other paying for our tickets."

Will looked back at the brunet, "I have already purchased the tickets for the opera, But I cannot ask you to pay for dinner. Tonight..." he smiled back, "will be my treat."

Alan blinked in surprise, a blush staining his cheeks, "I couldn't possibly let you pay for both! It's quite an expensive evening, after all…"

Will raised a hand to silence the brunet. "I never go out... I think it is alright if I splurge a little."

"Alright," Alan sighed, "But don't let Eric find out—he'll never shut up about this being a 'date' if he knew I let you pay."

"I assure you, what is between us, stays between us. It appears, Mister Humphries, we have arrived." Will stated, looking out the window.

The cab rolled to a stop. The aroma of French cuisine, wafted across the evening air, greeting them as they stepped down from the cab and onto the pavement.

Will looked at the sign hanging above the door and asked, "Have you ever had the pleasure to dine here before, Mister Humphries? They have what I would call the best England has to offer in French delicacies."

"Oh, yes. Grell insisted we come here a few times…though he mostly just likes to show off how fluent his French is." He nodded, opening the door and holding it for a couple who happened to be leaving, and then lingering for William to walk through.

"Thank you Mister Humphries." Will acknowledged, bowing his head as he entered.

"Please, call me 'Alan', or 'Al'." The younger insisted as he followed him in and the host sat them quickly at a table for two.

"I apologize. I am not use to referring to you as such. It may take a while. The only reason I can with Grell...is, I have known him for so long and I still refer to him as Sutcliff on the clock." Will replied, opening the menu.

His eyes wandered over the pages, but instead of reading the menu, his thoughts found their way back to the brunet. Daring to peek, he carefully glanced over his menu and watched the young reaper, pursue his own options. The soft light from the hanging lantern above their table illuminated his emerald eyes. The inner gold ring shining. William had to shake his head, he was beginning to feel adrift and as though he was drowning in them. All reapers have green eyes and a ring of gold in them, but each reaper held something different in them. Alan's held kindness and care. He was not a weak reaper, even with his condition, but he showed compassion. William was impressed by that. He was cold and indifferent, where as Alan was soft and warm.

"—and can I take your orders, sirs?"

Will jumped as the waiter asked for his order. He had been so lost in thought, he did not hear, nor see the man approach.

Alan looked up and smiled, "If you need more time I can hold off on my own order and we can simply order our drinks." He suggested, seeing the look of uncertainty on the older's face.

"No...its fine." he assured. Will looked up at the waiter, " _J'aurai le homard et les pétoncles avec des escargots. Une salade pour commencer, vinaigrette à la framboise. Une bouteille de votre meilleur vin blanc. Merci_."

Alan blinked in surprise, and quickly placed his order—in English as he butchered the pronunciation of his desired dish. The waiter took their menus and left them alone again.

Will chuckled, he could not help himself. It was endearing to watch the brunet flub as he placed his order. "You do not know French at all…do you?"

"I tried to learn! It's just…French is difficult…the whole language is like one big tongue twister I can't handle…" he flushed.

The waiter approached, holding a very expensive bottle of white wine in his hands. He turned to William and asked, " _Monsieur, est-ce répondre à vos besoins_?"

" _Oui ... Merci beaucoup_." answered the dark-haired reaper as he read the label, nodding in approval.

" _Très bon_!" the waiter replied. He popped the cork and filled the two wine glasses, before placing the bottle back in the tub of ice, he left at the table.

"I agree French is not an easy language to learn, but I can assure you German is tougher. Is there a particular language you would care to learn?" William inquired, raising the glass and swishing the liquid around. He placed the glass under his nose, sniffing it, absorbing its fragrance. Then he sipped, the liquor swirling in his mouth. He closed his eyes, savoring the flavor. " _Très Magnifique_!" he sighed.

Alan lifted his glass and sipped it delicately, savoring it a moment. "No, while it's an advantage to be bilingual, there is none that I really long to learn." He shrugged.

Sitting his glass down on the table, William inquired. "Mister...I mean Alan. Learning a few languages would greatly benefit you. The more you know the further you can ascend the ranks within the dispatch. Surely you would like to become more than just a field officer?"

Alan raised an eyebrow, "I'm fine where I am. I get to help the new reapers move up."

"Surely you would... Never minds. I do not wish to upset you. I just want you to know you are one of my best reapers and as hard as it would be to let you go. I would be more than happy to see you advance. That is all I am trying to convey." Will explained as the waiter brought out his salad. " _Merci_."

"William…" Alan sighed, "There are things I could do, but don't because it's better that way." Alan set down his glass and looked across the table, "My time remaining here is better spent helping others rather than myself."

"Alan…you don't honestly know how much time you have. It could be one week or a hundred years. You should plan your life as if you will live forever. Perhaps a cure will come about. The future is never truly known." Will replied, staring at the brunet.

What was he doing? Why was getting worked up over whether Alan should move up or learn a new language? He was a subordinate. It was his choice what he did with his after life and yet William felt compelled to get him to live, to embrace what time he had. And who knew, what if they did find a cure? It was possible, nothing was impossible to William, nothing.

Alan shook his head, "I live my life to help others find theirs. Fate hates me, but it doesn't mean I can't help everyone I can before I go."

Swallowing the bit of salad he was chewing, Will spoke. "Alan, fate does not hate you. I have mentioned before she is fickle...not cruel."

Alan smiled weakly, "Days before my exams I find out I have a rare and deadly illness with no cure. Any attack could be my last. I missed the Medical Exam and had to fall back on my Plan B…which I only made because I snuck out of the hospital. And that wasn't the beginning, either…" he sighed and glanced down at his plate, "I told you my mother died when I was very young…she died of an illness that doctors couldn't identify…and years later, Its believed I died of the same thing. This isn't the first time I've had an incurable illness, William."

"But there is a possibility...it could be your last. I know the research department is working hard to find a cure, they grow closer every decade. Especially with the rise of Thorns." William tried to encourage the brunet, give him hope, but seeing that his face had grown sad, He released a sigh. "I am sorry... I should not be forcing you or giving you a sense of false hope. I will stop. Please let us try to enjoy this evening. Is there a topic in which you would like to converse?"

"I place my hope in the future of my loved ones." Alan shook his head and took a bite of his salad, "Their fate is still theirs… Yours is still yours." He then eased them onto a new topic, "What do you enjoy doing for fun?"

"Fun?" Will quirked a eyebrow. "I suppose you mean what brings me enjoyment? Many things... I love to read. I study history. I love my pigeons and enjoy their company, raising them." He took another bite of salad, before continuing. "I rather enjoy gardening. I have an extensive garden in my back yard. I raise herbs and maintain a variety of flowers. I enjoy walking Clover."

"Clover?" Alan asked, his interest caught, "Is that a pet? A dog or something?"

Will chuckled, "Yes, my pup. I found him about seven years ago on a reap. He was all alone in the middle of a filed full of clovers. I was reaping a shepherd. I believe he was beginning to train the pup. Clover is a Border Collie. The sheep would be fine, but the pup was laying there next to his master whimpering. He was about six months old. I didn't have the heart to leave him behind. So I broke policy and brought him home with me. He has been with me ever since."

Alan's smile grew, "That's adorable!"

"I should not have told you... Now you will think of me as soft." William mused allowed.

"No, don't say that. Caring for another living creature doesn't make you any less of a hard worker. Nor does it make you a bad boss. Besides, there is nothing wrong with having a soft side." He smiled, "I'd like to meet Clover…I've always liked dogs."

"I..." Will paused as the waiter, appeared bearing their dinner.

" _Monsieur_." he said to Will first, placing his plate before him, then he turned to Alan, " _Monsieur_." Will thanked him and resumed his reply to the brunet as the waiter left them in peace, to enjoy their meal.

"As I was about to say... You are welcome to visit if you like. Clover adores people and I am sure he would take to  _you_." He looked Alan in the eyes as he emphasized the word you.

"I'd like that." Alan nodded, digging into his dish.

Will began to cut into his own dish. The two ate while in amiable conversation, slowly getting to know one another. Will discovered that Alan was actually good company and an enjoyable reaper to be around. He now regretted that he had not taken the time to get to know the brunet, personally over the years. He had known Alan for many decades, yet it was only a few days ago that he had stopped and noticed him. Alan had been kind enough to reach his hand out and offer companionship, friendship. Outside of Sutcliff, no other reaper at dispatch had ever tried to get to know him. No one had ever dared to scale his walls. And Sutcliff only wanted him for sex and his looks. He cared nothing for the man he truly was. That was why the redhead had never won him over. Grell was handsome, beautiful, but because he was not willing to look beyond a pretty face, he was unable to win William's affection. Alan, however was willing to see his heart.

A tiny blush, heated his cheeks at the thought as the two reapers made their way back into the night air, deciding to walk down the street to the opera house. Alan kept up a light, enjoyable conversation as they walked, his smile and laugh filling the air between them. And a few times he found William's own laughter joining in.

"Can I confess something, William?" Alan asked as their laughter died down a little, "I thought your smile might be a little scary…but it's quite handsome."

Unprepared for the compliment, Will caught his toe on the uneven pavement, tripping. He stumbled, but did not fall. He stared at the brunet in disbelief, his cheeks turning bright red. He lowered his gaze, embarrassed and not wanting Alan to see his blush; he picked up his pace, pulling the collar of his coat up.

When Will stumbled, Alan couldn't help but laugh, and he quickly thought Will's reaction was because of that, "I'm sorry I laughed, William…" he said, following his quickened pace.

"It is fine... you did nothing to apologize for." he replied, but Will did not stop, nor look at Alan. He kept his gaze averted and looking down.

"But I've upset you…was it what I said? I'm sorry for being too forward..."

Will stopped. "You did nothing wrong Alan... I promise you." He slowly turned to face the brunet, a pang of guilt assaulting his heart. He did not mean to make Alan think he had done something wrong. And the look upon his face, nearly made William come undone.

"I am sorry... I assure you, it was not you. You have done nothing wrong. We will be late. Come..." he said, forcing a smile on his face. He reached a hand out, placing it on Alan's upper back, urging him to continue.

"If you are sure…" Alan sighed, still feeling he'd gotten too comfortable and he'd said too much.

Once they reached the theatre, the ushers showed them to their box. It was on the third tier, stage left. A private box that could normally hold up to four persons. But for the night, only two chairs were within it. Meaning they would be the only two occupants. The usher handed them their opera glasses and programs. Checking if they would care for any refreshments. Both declined. The usher lowered the curtain, behind them before exiting, by closing the door to the box.

The curtain was designed to cut the view off from their side, so that the occupants of the box next to them would not disturb them during the performance. Alone in the box with Alan, Will's hands grew sweaty once more and he began to wonder if tonight had been a mistake. He was not use to feeling this way and it brought him discomfort. He also hated the fact he could not stop blushing. It made him feel juvenile and immature. Despite enjoying the brunet's company, he felt ridiculous and out of place. Unable to control his appalling behavior and now he had troubled the only reaper to ever try and befriend him.

He was grateful when the Maestro appeared and began to warm the musicians. The performance was about to begin. Perhaps the opera could calm his rattled nerves.

"I could only imagine how jealous Grell would be if he found out about this…" Alan muttered his thoughts out loud. They had always had house seats when he went with the redhead, "private boxes…you, sir, are spoiling me tonight."

"Do you not pay for a box when you attend with Grell?" Will asked in kind. "I always imagined he would demand such a thing. Interesting..."

He puzzled over that thought for a moment before adding, "If one is to attend the opera...one should always purchase the best seats. Up here the sound is richer and you can make out the words that they are projecting. You also can see the whole stage. In addition to a few secrets."

"We can't afford it." Alan said, "Grell blows all his money on shopping sprees, and I have my medical bills to pay. And even on the times when Eric and Ronald get dragged along, they blow their money on drinking most of the time."

Feeling a bit presumptuous, Will averted his gaze to his lap, "I apologize... I hadn't thought about that."

The lights dimmed and the orchestra began to strike up their chords. The overture filling the auditorium.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, William. I'm not surprised you can afford all this…you are a supervisor, and you get paid quite a bit. You also put in more overtime than anyone, and your hobbies seem to be inexpensive…if I didn't have my medical bills, I could afford to treat people like this, too…and I'd do so without hesitation. The others…well, its all personal choice on their part on how they spend their money." Alan patted William's hand as the curtains opened and the performers came on stage, starting the first act.

A jolt of electricity shot through William's hand and through out his entire body. It was an innocent touch and yet the feeling of Alan's hand on his own, shot straight to his groin. Suddenly his trousers felt one size too small. He tugged at the fabric on his thighs, doing what he could to give room to his aroused member.

 _'How humiliating... What is wrong with you William? Control yourself... You're in public for pities sake._ ' Will chided himself in thought. He could only be grateful that the box was dark and Alan would not be able to see the tent he had pitched rather quickly, from the brunet's touch.

Alan smiled at him once more before turning his attention fully to the show, only speaking up once in a while when he felt like he had missed something. Each time, leaning over to whisper.

" _Dite alla giovine sì bella e pura_... Tell the young girl, so beautiful and pure." Will translated the song, from act two. Leaning over, he softly whispered to Alan. "Giorgio has come to appreciate Violetta. He is grateful that she has agreed to end the relationship with his son. She does not wish to, she is madly in love with Alfredo, but before she leaves for Paris, she pens a note."

The scene changes and a song of love fills the theatre. A plea to her lover as her letter is sung allowed. " _Amami, Alfredo, amami quant'io t'amo..._  Love me, Alfredo, love me as I love you.." William's breath caressed over the pale flesh of Alan's ear as he explained the new song and scene.

The second act came to an end, and the curtains closed for a short intermission. But the two sat in silence, both lost in their thoughts about the opera thus-far. And soon enough, the lights in the house were lowered again and the curtains were drawn. The story continued.

Violetta had not much longer to live; her tuberculosis had worsened.

Alan sat still in his seat, not leaning over to whisper to William—he understood everything…it was all suddenly all painfully familiar…in a way…it had become his story. He was Violetta.

Alone, hurt…dying…

 _"Addio,_ _del_ _passato bei sogni ridenti"_  – "Farewell, lovely, happy dreams of the past."

And then her love came back—all too late.

 _"Gran Dio!...morir sì giovine"_  – "Great God!...to die so young."

Tears slipped down Alan's cheeks and dripped from his jawline. The trails of wetness glistening in the lights from the stage. He lowered his opera glasses, resting them upon his lap.

This was it. This was why he didn't date…the pain her passing had left Alfredo to suffer with…he couldn't leave anyone with that pain—that loss. It would be painful enough for his friends, but it'd be unbearable for a lover—even if he secretly longed for love.

William looked over seeing the tears, running down Alan's face. He felt sick inside. When he had picked this opera, he had been unaware of the story line. Not a word passed his lips. He reached up cupping the brunet's cheek, gently he wiped the tears with his thumb. Even though the tears had been swept away, he did not remove his hand, his thumb continued to caress Alan's cheek as he whispered, "Alan..."

The brunet shifted his wet gaze over to his companion, staring at him in silence a moment before he could gather himself, shaking his head and trying to dry his eyes with his handkerchief, "S-sorry…I just…Violetta…I mean…" he shook his head again. He was such a mess of emotions, "It was a beautiful Opera…" he finally said as the crowd applauded and the actors took their bows at curtain call.

Continuing to stare at Alan, Will ignored what was going on in the auditorium. His heart felt heavy, his hands and arms itched to reach out and wrap themselves around the brunet. He wanted to comfort him, to hold him, to apologize to him. He felt stupid for not knowing what the opera was about.

Will, jumped as the door behind them was pulled open. His hand let go of Alan's cheek and he cleared his throat. "Shall we...or would you like a moment more?"

Alan swallowed and stood up, drying his eyes one last time before tucking his handkerchief away, "I'm fine, we can go." He nodded, smiling through his tears.

"If you're sure?" Will asked to be sure.

The smaller reaper nodded, "I'm fine."

The night had turned cold as they stepped out onto the dark pavement. Most of the crowd had dispersed. William pulled his coat tighter around him. At present all the cabs had been claimed. He looked at Alan and asked, "Shall we walk and head back in our direction? Perhaps further down the road we can obtain a cab back to the portal."

The brunet nodded, "I'd think that would be the best option for us." He nodded.

As they began to walk, Will glanced over at the brunet, "I feel as though I should apologize. I was not aware of the story line. If I had... I would have purchased tickets for another night and another opera."

Alan shook his head and smiled up at William, "Really, I'm fine. I enjoyed it. I just got a little attached to the characters, is all."

Will stopped, "Alan..." The moon struck the brunet's eyes, causing them to sparkle. Forgetting to breathe, Will touched his cheek. "Do not lie to me Alan. I saw how that opera affected you."

"I'm not lying." He shook his head and looked up at Will, "It is what happened. Yes, it affected me more than most operas and plays I see, but I did enjoy it nonetheless."

"I... We should get going..." Will turned away, his cheeks feeling like they were on fire once more. He cursed the moon silently. He nearly got lost in the brunet's eyes. The bewitching moon, casting spells. He would have none of it. He thrust his hands into his pockets as he walked ahead of the brunet.

Unbeknownst to the two reapers, a shadow lurked close behind. Two glowing amber eyes stood out against the contrast of the shadow in which she hid. A familiar scent had caught her attention. Her eyes locked on the taller reaper.

"Well if it isn't William-darling?" she sneered, drool began to pool at the corners of her mouth.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	4. Chapter 4

Will sat in his chair, behind his desk, in his office. A cup of tea, having grown cold sat off to the side. A pile reports sat sprawled out in front of him. His glasses sat askew on his face. His hair, slightly out of place. His tie was loose and one glove lay on the floor at his side. Drool, oozed from the corner of his mouth.

William. T. Spears, Supervisor of the Shinigami Dispatch Assosciation, was fast asleep in his office chair.

After his evening with Alan, William had been unable to sleep, himself. In desperation to get his mind off the little brunet, he had taken Clover for a walk. A walk that ended up with him sitting in the middle of Etheral Park. The grand park situated in the middle of reaper London. He sat most of the night watching the stars as Clover lay fast asleep at his feet. Before he realized it, the sun had begun to appear over the horizon and his mind was still on Alan. With little time to get ready for work. He had raced home and thrown on a fresh suit.

Now unable to stay awake any longer, he succumbed to the sleep, that had evaded him all night long.

“Will~” The door to his office burst open and the red reaper bounded in as a ball of energy, “What is the meaning of—Will-Darling?” He paused, spotting William’s state of being. Was he asleep? Impossible! The man was a machine! He never slept! It was all paperwork, all the time!

Frowning, Grell walked over, slipping gracefully onto his lap. Yes, he had given up on William Spears—yes, he was moving on, but this was a rare gem. He couldn’t _not_ take advantage of it!

Giggling, he leaned in, lips trailing light kisses along Will's neck to his ear before speaking, Grell's breath feathering over his earlobe; “William darling~ Last night was simply wonderful~” he teased.

* * *

 

Alan sipped his tea as he sat down at his desk. His date—no, not date. His evening with William had ended normally. They parted ways at the gates to the reaper realm, each going home to their separate apartments. The brunet showered and slipped into bed, same as every night. But getting to sleep had been a different story. His thoughts, strangely enough, had been filled with William and their evening together. And by the time he did finally drift off, he’d only gotten four hours of sleep.

Loosening his tie, Eric strode into the open door, of Alan Humphries' office, "Hey Al, how'd' last.... You look like shit!" Eric forgot himself as he entered seeing the brunet. He was not accustomed to seeing Alan looking so tired and ragged, at least not at work. He had dark circles under his eyes and his normal glowing aura was missing.  "Did ya have another attack?" Eric questioned concerned for his friend.

“No…I just had a hard time getting to sleep last night. Nothing to worry about.” The brunet offered a small smile, relying on the tea to keep him awake as he sat at his desk doing paperwork. “How’d your date with Ron go?”

"Jus' dandy!" Eric smirked. He sat down half way onto Alan's desk. "Speakin' of dates Al...How'd it go with ya and Spears? He's probably real good in the sack. The quiet ones always are. Am I right?" The blond nudged the brunet, chuckling and winking.

“It wasn’t a date, Eric! And nothing happened. We had dinner, watched the Opera, and went home—separately!”

* * *

 

Swatting at his ear, William moaned, "Go 'way Clover... Daddys tryin' ta sleep." he yawned, his hand dropping back in his lap. No wait that isn't his lap. Will rubbed his hand up and down Grell's thigh. His eyes shot open, meeting the pointy grin of a certain redhead. He jumped, a very ungentlemanly yelp reverberated around the office.

"Sutcliff what the devil are you doing on my lap? Why are you not working?" he questioned, his eyes narrowed and glared at the flamboyant and intrusive reaper.

“Oh Darling~ I never knew you to be so frisky~” Grell giggled, “If I had known calling you ‘Daddy’ would get you oh so passionate I would have tried that a long time ago~” He nuzzled his cheek teasingly. “What in Rhea’s name are you doing sleeping on the job, anyway?”

"If you must know I was unable to sleep. I stayed up all night. Now would you kindly remove yourself from my lap Grell and get back to work." Will growled at the redhead, a look of disdain on his face.

“Up all night? With who? Who’s this little Clover who calls you ‘Daddy’?” Grell teased.

* * *

 

"Are ya tellin' me...that ya two did na even snog?" Shaking his head, Eric leaned over and whispered, "But ya wanted to didn't ya, Al?"

“I don’t date, Eric, and one-night-stands aren’t my thing. I won’t lead people on.” Alan sighed, shivering slightly as the man’s breath feathered over his ear. “And again, it wasn’t a date! It was simply a social outing—with our boss. Did you forget who I was with? Do you really think he’d be that kind of a man?”

"Yes! The bloke is still a warm blooded male. We all got urges Al. An' don't ya tell me otherwise. Ya wan' someone as well, ya jus' afraid, cause that condition of yers." Eric poked the brunet in the chest as he spoke, "Is okay mate. I knows ya afraid, but Al...don't ya wanna experience love, jus' once before this thing takes ya?" He asked, placing his hand over Alan's heart.

“And cause someone that pain when I die?” he shook his head, “I’m perfectly fine being single… Alan placed his hand on Eric’s, “Eric…you asked me out countless times, and now you are happy with Ronnie. You have him to help you when I go. And I’m happy for you two. But dating isn’t for me…”

* * *

 

"Sutcliff...! Off! Now!" Will barked, shoving the redhead off his lap. With a thud and a yelp the redhead landed on the floor with a thud. Will reached up and straitened his glasses. "Clover is my dog you halfwit!"

“…I think you bruised my arse!” Grell complained, pushing himself up, “And not in the fun way!”

"Good! Perhaps it will teach you not to climb on laps, without permission." Will scolded as he stood up and stretched.  "Honestly...! Sutcliff, do you not have anything better to do or do you just plan on being a thorn in my hip?" He looked down at the redhead, "Do not answer that."

Picking up his mug of tea, Will realized the tea had grown cold and decided to fetch a new cup, only to stop when he reached the door.  "By the way...what is it that you came here for?"

“The Fairington investigation—the trip to France, undercover! Why didn’t you give it to me?”

"Why ever would I give you that assignment, Grell?" Will huffed, opening the door. "Had I given that investigation to you, you would have used it as an excuse to shop for the latest French fashions, instead of doing your job. Now, please excuse me. I need to refresh my tea." He turned to glare at the redhead. "And you need to get back to work. Good day Sutcliff!" he hollered over his shoulder.

“But I’m one of the very few reapers here fluent in French!” Grell protested.

* * *

 

"Al... If ya and I had dated it would never worked out any ways, cause we aren't datin' t material. Regardless ya have that decease or not. Ron an' I were meant for each other. Ya might be the best gif' to someone, even if ya don' live for eternity. Jus' a moment bein' with ya could mean the world ta someone." Eric looked the brunet deep in the eyes. His face grew serious, "If I lost Ron right now. Yeah, sure it would be devastain', but I would be grateful that I got to spend what time I was given with him. He would still be alive in me. Always with me in here." The blond pointed to his heart.

“You are also a very stubborn man.” Alan teased.

"That I am. I won't deny that. But I know one more stubborn than I." Eric crossed his arms as he looked down at the brunet.

“There are few more stubborn than Eric Slingby.” Alan stated, downing the last sip of his tea and standing up, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some more tea to get, if I hope to finish these reports on time without falling asleep.” He brushed past the larger reaper, cup in hand as he used it as an excuse to end the interrogation—at least for the time-being.

Will pinched the bridge oh his nose as he walked, his eyes shut as he tried desperately to erase, the annoying voice of Grell Sutcliff from his mind. His head throbbed and the last thing he had needed, was to wake up with that thing in his lap. With his eyes squeezed shut he was unaware of the tiny brunet approaching in the opposite direction. 

“Oi! Have you seen Eric?” Ronald called down the hall at Alan, who turned his head to call back.

“Left him in my office just a second— _oof_! S-Sorry!” Alan stammered, bumping quite hard into William, “William? I’m sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

"Pardon me…" Will's arm catching whom ever he had collided with, surprised it was the brunet as he opened his eyes. "Alan?"

For a moment he stood there, looking down into Alan's eyes as he apologized and explained what happened. Then, reluctantly he withdrew his arm from around his waist and replied, "No... you don't need to apologize. I am the one who should say sorry. I had my eyes closed. That was foolish of me."

Alan blushed lightly and glanced down at the reaper’s mug, “…Tea?”

Smiling, The senior nodded, "Yes... Mine appears to have grown cold." Will looked down at the nearly full mug in hand. "And you...a refill?"

Alan nodded. Why did things suddenly feel so awkward? They had had such a nice evening out…maybe Eric’s teasing had been too much?

"Then after you by all means, Mister Humphries." Will nodded to the door, motioning Alan to enter first.

Alan nodded again and hurried into the break room, finding the tea nearly empty. With a sigh, he set to making more, “…I wish whoever finishes the pot off would make more…it’s only polite…” he murmured to himself.

Having just sat his mug down, Will turned to the brunet and reached for kettle. "Here... let me. You fix pots all the time. I don't mind—keeps me out Sutcliff's grasp."

Alan blinked in surprise, “Grell was bothering you again? I thought he gave up on you and was moving on.”

"Do you know how many times he has supposedly moved on and yet...if he sees an opportunity to do something, he will take the liberty to do so." Will sighed turning the burner on to boil the water.

“What did he do?” the brunet asked, leaning back against the counter.

"He crawled in my lap." Will blushed, averting his gaze. "I apparently fell asleep and he took advantage of me. I do not wish to know what liberties he took while I was unconscious."

“That’s--! …going a bit far, even for him, isn’t it?”

"Let’s just say he wound up with his backside on the hard floor." Will, could not help himself as a fit of the chuckles assailed him. "I am sorry, I should not laugh...but his face. You should have seen his face."

Alan’s look of surprise softened into a smile. “Well what did he expect after nearly a hundred years of you telling him no?” he said with a small chuckle.

"Would you tell me no?" Will asked suddenly as he began preparing the tea leaves. His eyes focused on the task in his hands.

"What?"

"Never minds..." Will removed the kettle as it began to whistle. Carefully he poured the boiling water into the tea pot, allowing the tea leaves to steep.

Silence fell between them again and Alan sighed, looking down at the empty cup in his hands, “…I hope you enjoyed the evening last night…”

Will glanced at the brunet from the corner of his eye, "Yes...thank you for accompanying me. The opera was much more enjoyable with you there." He replied soft spoken, his eyes wandering back to the tea pot.

“Do you think you’d like to again sometime?”

Surprised, by Alan's question, Will turned his head to look at him. "You want me to accompany you another time?" He swallowed, "I-I mean... Yes...yes I would love to."

Will reached out to take the mug from Alan's hand, their fingers brushing.

“Of course. You are an interesting man to be around. Intelligent. And your socially awkward moments are kind of endearing.” Alan smiled.

"Awkward? Endearing? That is... well..." Will blushed, pouring the tea into Alan's mug.

Alan let out a small giggle, “Kind of cute, too. It’s refreshing. You are so different than Ron, Eric, and Grell…they are all social butterflies I struggle to keep up with them at times.”

"Yes, well... I never have been very 'outgoing'. I much prefer the peace and... Did you just say cute?" Will asked surprised meeting Alan's gaze. His blush growing deeper. No one had ever said that William T. Spears was ‘cute’, well except Grell, But then again most men were attractive to him.

Alan just smiled, taking his tea and adding milk and sugar to it before taking a sip and turning to return to his desk, “Thank you for making the tea, sir.”

Will turned his head and watched the brunet saunter to the door, his eyes wandering to Alan's nicely shaped rear end. It was firm and its muscles flexed as he walked, showing through his fitted trousers. Will's blush turning as bright as Grell's hair as he let his eyes linger.

“I saw that.” Ronald walked in after Alan left, a smirk on his youthful face, “You’re crushing big-time on Alan-senpai!”

Clearing his throat, Will adjusted his glasses, "I have no idea what you are talking about Mister Knox." he replied, turning away and filling his own mug, adding two lumps of sugar, he began to stir it.

“I know flirting when I see it. And you, sir, were doing just that! You even made him giggle and flirt back. But the checking out his arse as he walked away…” he smirked and grabbed a clean mug, filling it, “You are at least lusting after him. Too bad for you he doesn’t sleep around or date.”

"I was not flirting... Alan was just being courteous after last night." The supervisor looked at the blond, taking a sip of his tea.. "You aught not to make assumptions Mister Knox." he admonished, placing his spoon in the sink to be washed.

“I know what I know, Senpai. And I know that Alan Humphries does not act like that with just anyone.”

"Alan... was being just polite. He is polite to everyone. Do not make a mountain out of a mole hill, Mister Knox." Will stepped over to the lounger, taking a seat.

“Don’t make a mole hill out of a mountain, Mister Spears.” Ron said, leaving quickly before the older reaper could respond.

"What was that Mister..." Will looked over his shoulder, only to find the blond gone. "Where did he go..? Oh never mind..."

* * *

**To be continued...**


	5. Chapter 5

Alan walked along the stalls in the farmer's market in the downtown reaper London area, a basket slung in the crook of his arms to hold his purchases. A loaf of fresh bread, a few apples, spices, herbs, and even a freshly baked apple pie from his favorite baker. He'd made a mistake waiting so long before coming to the market, and now he found himself shopping hungry, buying up things he'd normally be able to pass on, and he hadn't even chosen what he'd make for dinner that night.

Will stood selecting the peaches from the friendly vendor, who always held out the ripest peaches for him, providing Will with the best selection. Regrettably he had been late to market. He normally arrived just as the vendors began to sell their produce and other wares. Unfortunately, Will had been unable to sleep once more and woke up late. He tossed and turned the whole night, consumed with thoughts of a certain brunet. The man, assuming Will would not be there to purchase his peaches, set the stash out amongst the rest on display. When Will finally arrived he was forced to pick from what was available. He selected several, bagging them as he found them.

Unaware that his boss was also at the market, Alan walked right passed him, stopping at the next stall where a woman was selling freshly cut spinach, lettuce, and other leafy goods that made good salads.

William kindly paid the vendor and nodded in farewell as he headed to the next vendor. He had his carrots, peaches, apples and cloves of garlic. The last thing on his list this week was to also pick up some romaine lettuce, then it would be off to the butcher and then the baker that he loved, to pick up fresh Italian bread.

Alan paid for his purchase and slipped it into his basket. He pulled out his list that he hadn't been strictly sticking to, reading off the items to himself, "Salad, apples, Italian bread, parsley….still need some sort of meat for tonight…"

"I will take these two stalks." Will's rich, baritone voice sailed on the wind as he handed the romaine stalks to the vendor,  to be bagged and paid for. Never realizing the reason he could no longer sleep, stood right next to him.

Hearing William's voice break through his thoughts, Alan looked up, "William?"

"Yes?" William looked down at the man who called his name. "Alan?"

Alan smiled, "I didn't know you shopped here…I never have seen you."

"Well... I typically come first thing in the morning. Today, however, I seem to have slept in." he smiled, trying to stay relaxed, his heart picking up pace as his eyes met Alan's

"That explains it. This is my usual time coming here…well, maybe a bit later. I usually come right after lunch so I don't go off my list." He looked into his basket, "…I got a pie…"

"Apple?" Will asked curious, apple being his favorite pie.

Alan nodded, "My favorite."

Will thanked the vendor as he paid for the stalks, tucking the green produce in his satchel. "Apple is my favorite as well." he shared, as they turned from the stand and began to walk down the street.

"If…you'd like a slice, I'm sure I could afford to share." Alan offered, "I always feel guilty eating a whole pie by myself."

"I would like that very much. I need to run to the butcher and the baker. You are more than welcome to join me?" Will proposed, hoping the brunet would accept. "Afterwards, if you would like, you could join me for dinner...at my place? You could meet Clover and apple pie would make for a wonderful dessert. "

"I was just on my way to the butcher's." Alan nodded, tucking his list in his pocket, "Shall we?"

At the butcher's shop, Will selected some beautifully cut racks of lamb. He knew of a simple, but delicious dinner that was not long to prep or cook. He selected some other cuts of beef and chicken for later meals as well as some various pork for breakfast. After paying and collecting his purchases, the two reapers headed towards the baker.

"I hope you enjoy lamb?" he asked as an afterthought. Not realizing that the brunet might not enjoy such a dish. He had mainly purchased chicken and a few other healthy choices.

"Lamb is fine!" Alan insisted. He had gotten chicken for later and he tucked it in his basket.

"Good..." he replied, opening the door to the baker's shop, allowing Alan to enter before him.

Alan nodded in thanks, stepping in. He'd already been there, so he stayed by the door and waited for William to do as he needed.

"Alan..." Will called over his shoulder. "Is there anything in particular a favorite type of bread you enjoy...that you could suggest for dinner. I have what I need for a few days, but I am not sure what you enjoy. Pick whatever you like." He waved his hand over the counter, that displayed the various selections of bread.

Alan blinked in surprise, but moved up to the display to choose one. Pointing out his choice, he glanced up at William, "Do you like wine? This bread goes fantastic with a sweet red."

"Yes...I rather enjoy wine. I know you had already bought some bread at the market, but this is the best and when having a special meal...one should always buy the best." Will replied, chuckling. "You must not have realized how many glasses I had at the Italian restaurant, when we had dinner the other night. You had one, two? Well, whatever you did not drink... I downed the rest."

Alan blinked in surprise again, "You did? I would have gotten quite drunk! I can't have more than two glasses before I start feeling the effects."

"I didn't say I wasn't feeling the effects... I just hide them quite well. I was no where near pickled, but I probably should not have drunk so much." Will smiled, paying the baker as he took the loaves of bread and added them to his satchel.

"I think that about does it. Ready to meet Clover?" he asked as he turned to face the brunet.

Alan nodded, "Thank you for having me over this evening." He opened the door and held it for Will as he placed the bread in his satchel.

Will grinned, "Don't thank me yet. The visit hasn't begun yet. What if you dislike your time with me? You have then thanked me for a horrible evening." Will couldn't help it, but he teased the brunet.

"Maybe so. But you have still invited me into your home." Alan laughed, "And will be feeding me as I play with your puppy."

"Did I say you would be playing with my dog? I believe it was meeting him." William teased. "I expect you to be in the kitchen Mister Hunphries...helping me." He looked down at the brunet smiling.

"Too bad. Meeting a dog means playing with it!" Alan had a rather boyish love for dogs.

"Are you going to dismiss a direct order, Mister Humphries? Perhaps I shall issue you some overtime. Perhaps that will teach you to disobey." Will continued to tease. This was new to him and he was rather enjoying it.

"I'm off the clock." Alan smirked, "Better luck next time,  _boss_."

"Now you sound like Knox...how very disappointing Mister Humphries. I think I will still find some way to give you over time. We shall see, we shall see."

Alan rolled his eyes with a light chuckle, "And you sound like Mister Spears; Workaholic." He said, nudging him with his elbow.

"I am not a workaholic... I just am responsible for so many reapers and everything sits on my shoulders. I do not have the leisure the rest of you do. I have to make sure things are in order and done properly. There are days I do regret taking the position...but I did and now I must follow through, with my commitment." Will explained.

Looking at his companion, by his side, Will sighed, "I am afraid I am quite boring and I am sure you do not wish to really discuss work. As you said off the clock."

"Do you have a pet?" he asked changing the subject.

Alan shook his head, "I spend more time at the hospital than I do my apartment. I'm afraid any pet would feel neglected. Well, I suppose I could get a cat, but I'd still feel that I was neglecting it."

Will mentally kicked himself, of course the brunet would not have a pet. His nerves were beginning to take over his entire body, with every step they grew closer to his home. Realizing his mistake, he apologized. "I am sorry, I hadn't thought of that. If you could what would you like to have? A cat or would you prefer something else?"

"A song bird, I think." Alan smiled, "One that sings mostly in the morning."

"A canary?" Will asked. He happened to enjoy the song of the canary. They were beautiful little birds and had such sweet melodies.

Alan nodded, "Cheerful little things."

A few minutes of awkward silence passed before they turned the corner and Will's house came into sight. "We are nearly there. It's the third one on the right. Midnight blue trim." he pointed out.

The brunet nodded, shifting his basket to the other arm. As they walked up the path to the front door and William took out his keys

"Welcome... and please make yourself at home." he stated as he ushered the brunet in before him.

"Oh? And I thought you were insisting upon enslaving me to help you cook rather than play with the dog." Alan teased, stepping into the orderly, but comfortable atmosphere of his boss' home.

Fumbling, Will replied, "Well...yes I am still going to enslave you—I mean request your assistance." His cheeks heated up, "I simply meant while you are not in the kitchen along side me make yourself at home and you are welcome to play with me—I mean my dog."

He turned away quickly, facing the door and closed his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose, then opened his eyes and adjusted his glasses. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves as he finally closed the door and turned the lock.

Hearing the door, Clover bounded into the living space. He stopped short seeing a stranger standing in the foyer. He tilted his head, sniffing the air.

"I was teasing you, William. No need to get so flustered." Alan smiled when he saw the dog and he stooped down, holding out a hand for Clover to approach and sniff it to get used to him.

Cautiously, Clover stepped forward, his cold, wet nose running over the brunet's hand. Sensing nothing bad would befall him, he pressed his snout into Alan's hand, wagging his tail behind him.

"I am well..." Will stopped as he turned around watching the exchange between his dog and his companion. "He is not use to visitors. He only meets mortals or reapers on walks. I can imagine this is very strange to him, but he seems to accept you." he smiled. "I am glad he approves."

Alan smiled and lifted his other hand, fondly petting the dog behind the ears, "Good, I guess we can continue to be friends, then."

"Hand me your basket... I can tell you are going to be of no service to me. I will stick your meat in the fridge, so as not to spoil while you are here." Will insisted, holding his hand out to receive the basket.

Alan held up the basket for William as Clover grew more playful, licking Alan's fingers before leaping up to put his paws on the brunet's shoulders, licking his face and causing him to laugh.

Will laughed watching Clover. It made him feel good to see the two bonding. It had never occurred to him that having guests over might be good for the dog. Carrying all the groceries, Will walked into the kitchen and began sorting out the meats, careful to place Alan's on one side of the icebox, that away it would not be mixed with his purchases.

"Did you want to save the wine you purchased to take home with you or would you prefer that to be our drink of choice?" Will asked, holding up the bottle of red wine, reading its label.

"We can open it here." Alan called as the puppy bounded away, only to return with a knotted rope to play with.

"Be careful with him... He may never let you leave." Will chuckled, watching Clover run back with his favorite toy.

"No, he's a good boy. And besides, How could I come back to see him if he doesn't let me leave?" the brunet said, grabbing the rope so that the dog could start a game of tug-of-war."

Will reached up, pulling an ice bucket down from on top of the icebox. He opened the freezer and began filling it with ice cubes. He sat the bottle of wine into it, adding more cubes to surround it and sat it on the counter to chill.

"Would you care for a drink, while I begin prepping the food?" he hollered out to the brunet.

"Not unless you want it to spill." Alan laughed, "Clover's a bit too rambunctious right now."

Will finished putting away the rest of his groceries. He sat the pie onto a pie plate and threw the container into the trash bin. He cut a few slices of bread from the standard loaf of bread and laid them out in the cold oven. He lit a match, after turning the gas on, the oven roaring to life and immediately warming the kitchen.

"It will be about 15 minutes for the bread to toast hard enough, to make breadcrumbs from it. Would you like a tour of the place?" he inquired, stepping back into the living room.

"Yes please—a little help?" Alan was laying on the floor, the playful pup atop his chest, sniffing and nuzzling him as he was pet.

"Perhaps I should leave you like that..." Will chuckled, then whistled.

Clover turned his head, hearing his command to come, he leapt off the brunet and padded over to Will, sitting and staring up at his master.

Alan pushed himself up, brushing off his suit as he followed, "Thank you.

Smiling, Will replied, "You are most welcome. Shall we?"

With a nod, the brunet stepped around the dog to follow William. Of course, Clover then followed Alan, creating a train through the house.

Will started with the ground floor, starting with the living room they were already standing in, followed by his office and the guest bath. Even the guest room, which was currently being used to house a grand piano. Will had no use of it as a guest room and had transformed it into a music room. Mirrors were on the door to the closet so as the light filtered in through the window, the mirrors increased the volume of brightness. Which in turn made it the ideal place to read scores of music.

Will looked at Alan and asked, "Play?"

"Not piano." Alan shook his head, "Violin, however…" a smile crossed his lips, "Though I haven't touched one since I was a human."

"Well, perhaps later you would give it a try? I have a Stradivarius and I could accompany you on piano." Will suggested, noticing the smile that crossed Alan's face.

"I'd like that…maybe after dinner?"

Will nodded, "That would be nice."

The smell of the bread, caught his nose. "I think the tour is going to have to be halted for a bit. The bread smells ready. Would you mind crushing the slices into crumbs for me, while I start on the next part?"

"Of course." Alan nodded, closing the door as they moved to the kitchen and he took out the bread, getting to work on it. "How long have you been playing?"

William pulled out six cloves of garlic and began to mince them, "Piano...all my life, from the time I was five in my mortal years. Violin... during my academy days, so roughly one hundred years. I also play cello, clarinet and recorder. Which I have picked up on over the years." He glanced at the brunet, "You said you played violin as a human, but not since becoming a reaper? Why is that Mister Humphries?"

"Focusing on schoolwork…and then work. Never got a chance to get a new violin." The brunet shrugged, "Mine had once belonged to my mother. I had found it in the attic as a child and Father hired an instructor.

"When you died as a human, the violin became lost to you? That is the hard part about moving on isn't it? Memories we have, that we can never forget. Do you remember much from your previous life?"

Alan shook his head, "I remember things related to my mother, strangely enough… But very little about anything else."

"Would you mind chopping some rosemary for me when you are done there? I can begin prepping the lamb." Will asked, putting the garlic into a small bowl. "I have a rosemary bush in the backyard."

The brunet nodded, taking a moment longer to finish the bread before walking to the door, "Just out here?"

"Yes...go to your right. Follow the path to the end and it will be on the right side of the path. You can not miss it. Enjoy my garden if you like. You are welcome to explore it." Will smiled as he answered the brunet's question. "But do not get lost."

Noticing the brunet was heading outside, Clover bolted to the door, begging to go outside with him.

"Is he allowed out here?" Alan asked, "And how big is it if you think I'd get lost?"

Will nodded, "He can accompany you into the garden." He chuckled, wiping his brow, with the back of his hand. "Bigger than you probably have imagined. I did try to describe it to you."

Alan nodded and opened the door, letting Clover out first before following. Will smiled as he watched the border collie dash ahead of the brunet.

Stepping out into the backyard was almost like stepping through the looking glass. It seemed a different world, completely apart from reaper London. Plants Alan had never seen before surrounded him as he walked along the stepping stone path, following William's directions to the area where he found fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits, and other edible plants of all kinds. He quickly picked what he needed and glanced around, making his way to a small pond of water lilies, his presence startling a frog which jumped into the water with a small splash. Two Koi fish also swam gracefully beneath the waters surface.

It was so peaceful.

Smiling to himself, Alan continued along the path he was on, taking in the sights he came across.

William washed his hands and returned to the oven. He set the dial to the desired degree, letting it finish preheating. He threw all the other ingredients into the mixing bowl. All that was left was the rosemary, which had yet to make its way into the kitchen, via Alan. He chuckled, the thought of Alan, at this very moment, lost in his garden.

"I wonder if I should go fetch him now or continue to let him wander around?" Will thought aloud to himself. He picked up his towel and wiped his hands clean before walking over to the door and stepping outside.

Quietly, Will followed the path he had told Alan to take. Rounding the bend he spotted the brunet.

"Do you like it?" he asked as he stepped along side the brunet.

"It's amazing." Alan said, looking back up at William with a smile. "It's an entirely new world…peaceful."

"I did warn you I had a rather extensive garden." Will smiled. "I love the outdoors. I may have gotten carried away, but I love the idea of being lost amongst the flowers and growing my own vegetables and fruits, saves me money and time. Though I don't grow everything." He explained as they took another path towards the calla lilies. Which just happened to be Will's favorite flowers.

Alan followed in a comfortable silence, "So you said…but no one could imagine this."

"Well my secret is out. Instead of getting drunk like Knox, this is what I do after work and whenever I am free." Will confided, bending down to pluck a dead flower from the grove of lilies.

"I imagine this to be much more rewarding than getting drunk." The brunet laughed. He strolled on, stopping to look at a cluster of ericas. "You put in a lot of dedication and love into this garden…it shows."

"Do you like those?" Will asked curious. He noticed something in the way Alan peered down at the tiny violet flowers. "I think they are a lovely wildflower and they look beautiful under the crape myrtles, like a blanket at their feet."

"They are my favorite." Alan smiled and then laughed, "I've only ever told Eric, though. Back when he was my mentor."

"I am glad I have something you enjoy." Will looked down at the rosemary, "But I think we should probably head back in. I really need to get that rosemary in the rub and the lamb basted. You are more than welcome to visit my garden anytime you like." he invited, taking the herb from the brunet's hand. His fingers, pausing for just a moment as they brushed against Alan's.

Alan nodded, "I'm sorry, I seem to have distracted us from our task." He smiled and turned to head back, pausing. "…which way's back to the door to the real world?"

William chuckled, "Just follow me. Clover!" he called the dog as he began to lead the brunet through the garden, choosing the quickest path back to the house.

The brunet nodded, walking alongside William until they got to the door and went back inside to finish making dinner.

"Alright now that just needs to roast for about twenty minutes. Would you care to see the upstairs or would you like me to uncork the wine and pour you a glass?" Will asked closing the oven door.

"Why not both?" Alan said as he cleaned up the dishes they had made during preparation.

"Right!" Will agreed, by pulling out his cork screw. He reached up to the cupboard and grabbed two wine goblets. Carefully he uncorked the chilled wine and poured the red liquid into each one, sitting the bottle back into the pail of ice.

"Here you go." he offered a glass to the brunet, before tilting his head towards the staircase.

"Thank you." Alan took the glass and sipped it after drying his hands. The two, then made their way up the stairs.

The first room they came to was a guest room; one that was kept a guest room. It featured a queen size canopy bed adorned with an olive green bed spread, embroidered with intricate black vines running every which way across it. The walls were a similar shade of green, with thin black curtains on the window. The wall behind the bed was wall papered with a print that matched the bed spread. The canopy above was black. The floor was a dark cherry wood, which matched the wood frame of the bed. All the furniture was cherry wood as well. There was a good sized closet and a door off to the right of the entrance, which lead to a private bath.

"I knew you made more money than most in our department but you do truly have a beautiful, expensive home." Alan said gently as he looked around.

"Honestly I don't make all that much more than the rest of you. I just don't typically splurge. I save my money and buy only what I need." Feeling a bit embarrassed Will grinned, "Or what I really want."

"And a big house is what you want? Or…do you wish to fill a big house like this? Plan to eventually make time for love? Start a family, maybe?"

"No..." Will took a sip of his wine. "I never had thoughts of filling it or to start a family. First off, you should know by now, reapers having children is rare. And second that would require a woman. I also have no aspect of ever finding love. I am married to my work as everyone keeps saying. I doubt I shall ever find the time for..." he let his words run out.

He was lying. He wanted someone to warm his bed, but his job left him little time to find an occupant. Love? If it came to that, he would embrace it of course. A father? That was one thing he could never imagine being. Besides William T. Spears was not attracted to the feminine side of life. He much preferred men. A secret no one had yet discovered - well, with the exception of a certain redhead, who seemed to be honed in on it. He bought the house, because it was the best and provided him with ample room to grow his dream garden. He loved the space and location, nothing more.

"Just because born reapers are rare doesn't mean the dream of having children is dead. And we aren't exactly humans anymore—men are just as able to conceive as women." Alan shrugged. "Besides, you do have forever. Things may change."

"I highly doubt things will change and as for two males conceiving...the odds are stacked even more against them." Will replied, only to state, "Honestly though... I never had thought of ever being a parent. I can't imagine that being my life."

He looked down at the brunet, before leading him to the master suitt. "What about you, Mister Humphries...are children your desire?"

"Once." He nodded, "I had hoped to be a father before I died and became a reaper. But I never met the right person to wed, let alone have a child with." The brunet leaned against the doorframe and looked up at William, "I was the youngest child. My brothers and sisters were all married off under arraigned marriages. But if I remember correctly, I was left to find my own path."

"I had been betrothed. It had been arranged before I died, but we never saw our wedding day. Frankly, I am glad. I, to this day, cannot picture bedding a woman. I would have, had that occurred. It would have been expected, but 'unfortunately' I died." Will confided, sipping his wine.

"And here you have my personal domain. The master suit." he blurted out, changing the subject abruptly.

But Alan would have none of it, dragging his boss back to the unfinished topic. "I would have thought you were interested in women, even if a little—or rather, I thought you wouldn't care much about gender—despite Grell's ranting about you not wanting him. because his body wasn't a true lady's. At least that was his rant for a few months."

Will turned and looked the brunet dead in the eyes. "I have nothing against women. The reason I have never been attracted to Grell, is because he is not masculine enough. He believes himself to be a woman...that is fine. But it does not attract me."

"My comment was more about how you seem a man to not look at gender at all, not particularly about Grell himself. I'm sorry if my comment offended you."

"No offense was taken...I apologize for my crassness. Grell just makes my skin crawl. Also I am sorry to disappoint, but no I am attracted to men and men alone." Will clarified, as he stopped and stood directly in front of the brunet. "We should go down. Dinner should be ready."

The two returned to the kitchen and set the table while the meal finished its last few minutes in the oven before Will took it out and served them. Alan thanked him and refilled their glasses. Not much had been gone from either of the glasses, but enough to warrant a refill.

"What do you think?" Will asked, breaking the silence that had descended over them as they ate. "Is it to your liking?"

Alan smiled, "It's very delicious, thank you, William." He cut a small bite and slipped it into his mouth, chewing before taking a sip of wine, "You truly are an impressive man…your cooking seems a cherry on top."

Chucking, Will replied. "Impressive? I don't think anyone has ever said anything like that to me before."

Will could not help himself, but he blushed slightly as he spoke. He raised his glass to his lips and took a larger swallow than normal, hoping to drown the color from his cheeks. However as he lowered his glass his eyes met Alan's. His entire body began to heat up, from just the way Alan looked back at him.

"No one else has seen you outside the office, Will. Gardening, cooking, music… no one knows you do all that."

"True...but no one asks either." Will retorted, stuffing a mouthful of food into his mouth

"Not even Grell? That surprises me…"

"Grell knows of my cooking and my devotion to books and music, but most of the time he is fishing for compliments or trying to seduce me. He doesn't take the time to get to know me." Will answered, taking another swallow of wine, before reaching for the bottle and refilling his glass. Noticing Alan was getting low, he offered him more as well.

Without thinking, Alan held out his glass to be filled and continued to enjoy his meal. "Odd…I would have guessed he'd be wanting to know everything about his crushes in case one ever returned those feelings."

"Please do not get me wrong...as a reaper, Sutcliff is an an outstanding worker. But as for personal ...he is very vain and selfish. He inquires just enough to find some commonality. I would be surprised if he could ever form a real relationship with anyone." Will scoffed, sipping his wine, his right eye twitching at the thought of the redhead.

"Are you aware he has trespassed into my home?" he inquired, wiping his mouth clean with his napkin.

"No, I was not."

"I am surprised he did not brag about it." Will sighed as he looked at their empty plates. "You done? Want to see another room I have yet to show you?"

Nodding, Alan stood to help clear the table, a faint fog in his mind from the wine he continued to sip. "And afterwards we can get back to that lovely music room of yours."

Will grinned, "Grab your glass...I shall grab another bottle this one is empty."

"E-Empty? Already?" Alan looked down into his glass, "…how many have I had?"

"I lost count..." Will chuckled, uncorking another bottle to carry with them. "My library, you need to see my library. It is upstairs attached to my bedroom." he explained as he headed to the staircase.

He could not help smiling as he looked back at the brunet. "I have so many books. You could spend years in there and never come out. I love books." Will's normal proper facade was slipping the more he drank, relaxing and becoming more sociable.

"Don't tempt me." Alan chuckled as they mounted the steps once more. His toe caught on the edge of one half-way up and he stumbled, gasping as he grabbed onto William's arm to help regain balance before he spilled his wine on the white carpeting that blanketed the stairs. "Sorry," he giggled, "Not used to this…"

"Which the wine or the stairs...or perhaps both?" Will teased as he helped steady the brunet, their eyes meeting. Will instinctively reached out to fix Alan's glasses as they sat askew on his pert little nose.

"The wine…more than one glass." Alan giggled as his glasses shifted on his face, "Luckily for you I didn't spill!"

"No better for you. I might have had to punish you for being so careless." Will smiled, devilishly. "Come on..." He waved to the brunet. "I am dying for you to see this."

"You're really excited about this, aren't you?" the younger teased as they approached the door to said library.

"I might be a little. I know you enjoy reading as much as me...I figure this will be your cup of tea. Sutcliff loves to read as well, but instead of appreciating my collection, he damn near raped me against one of the bookshelves. Hence why he is no longer allowed in my home, alone with me." Will regaled as they passed through his bedroom and into the library.

"Here you go..." he announced as he swung the door open wide.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	6. Chapter 6

The library was not overly grand, but was still large, yet had the feeling of being cozy. A hearth sat on the Eastern side of the room, mosaic tiles, in midnight blue, gold and hunter green, lay for its base. The mantle, dark cherry wood to match the hardwood floors, held paintings of friends, family and colleagues from over the years; mortal and reaper years. There was a window on the opposite side from the door, heavy midnight blue curtains, in the pattern of gold fluer de lis, were tied back to let in the natural light, with matching gold chords. The window glass was etched in a crisscross pattern, creating large diamond shapes throughout each panel. Two wing back chairs sat before the hearth, perfect for reading in the winter season. They were also hunter green, one had a gold pillow sitting in it, the other a midnight blue pillow. A beautiful matching settee was placed across from the chairs, on the other side of a cherry wood coffee table. The settee was covered in more midnight blue and gold pillows. A beautiful oriental rug pulled the pieces of furniture together, bridging them. Its pattern, again, in matching colors.

The walls were lined with floor to ceiling book cases. A push latter sat on a track that could go the whole room round. There were books on science and history. Novels about romance and adventure. Books on art and music. A display case stood behind the settee. Inside were all kinds of special trinkets from around the world. Items William had collected over the years, on his visits around the world, for reaper business.

He turned around and faced the brunet, "Be honest...too dark?"

"Dark? William…this room is like it's out of a dream…or some monarch's manor home." Alan slipped inside, walking over to a shelf, reaching out to run his fingers along the leather spines of the books there.

Will sat the bottle of wine and his glass down on the coffee table. He walked up behind the brunet, "Here let me sit that down for you…free your hands." He said taking Alan's glass, his breath, feathering over Alan's ear.

Alan shivered and glance up into William's eyes as the goblet was slipped out of his fingers' hold so that it could be set aside with William's glass. "…Thank you…"

"You are most welcome." Will replied, straightening back up and approaching the brunet once more. "Do you have a favorite author?"

"The American…Poe." The brunet laughed at himself, "Eric tells me that it's sick that I enjoy reading such dark tales and poetry, but his way with words are beautiful and comforting."

"Poe... I must agree with Mister Slingby on that. I would never have imagined you enjoying his works." Will mused as he stepped in front of the brunet his fingers coming to rest on a brown book, pulling it from the shelf. He handed the volume to Alan. "I do however enjoy his poetry as well. I foresee him becoming a classic. He has already made a name for himself. Sad that he is not here to see it...and I doubt he shall fade, I believe he will be highly regarded in the future."

"I quite agree." Alan nodded, opening the book and looking in at the table of contents, reading over the names of the works that could be found within it's pages. "His work is dark, yes, but beautiful and it holds a sense of romance." He smiled, his finger lingering on one poem half-way down the list; " _I_ _was a child and_ _she_ _was a child, In this kingdom by the sea, But we loved with a love that was more than love— I and my Annabel Lee— With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven Coveted her and me…_ " he recited. It was clear the poem was a personal favorite to the younger reaper.

William's eyes, became fixated on the brunet's lips as he recited the verse. His mouth watered, wanting to taste them, to feel them. Were they as soft and sweet as he imagined them to be? Without another thought or warning, Will, grabbed the brunet from the back of his head and crushed their mouths together. His other hand cupped Alan's face, his thumb messaging the brunet's cheek.

"Aeh—!" Alan's gasp of surprise was cut off by the feel of soft lips pressing to his. The taste of wine on both their breaths. The book tumbled from the brunet's fingers, dropping to the floor with a dull thud. He was backed up against the shelves of books, his head tilted back to better allow William access to his lips. Alan's green eyes glistened before fluttering closed.

Normally Alan would have backed out of the advance on him right away, but the wine had greatly compromised his control and sound mind. He gave in, moving his lips against Will's and slowly reaching up to touch his fingertips to Will's cheek.

Will's tongue pressed into the gap between the brunet's lips, forcing its way inside. He let out a small moan of victory as Alan's tongue tangled with his own. His knee gradually nudged the brunet's legs apart, brushing up against his groin.

Alan's heart sped up, pounding in his chest as he breathed in William's scent—an expensive cologne, no doubt. Sliding his arms up around Will's shoulders, he pulled himself tighter against the older man, a moan escaping his lips.

"Alan..." William whispered, his hand sliding down the brunet's torso. He began to fumble with Alan's waistcoat, breaking the kiss, he pressed their foreheads together. He panted as he spoke, "I-I hope you do not mind... th-that I kiss-kissed you?"

The last button coming undone, he slipped his hand inside, snaking it around Alan's waist, to the small of his back. Will kissed the tip of his nose, then his cheek, trailing to his neck. His lips stopping at the brunet's ear, "For the love of all that is unholy... I want you." he whispered.

Alan's eyes widened, cheeks flushing a dark red that could rival the wine they'd been drinking. He shivered, resting his chin gingerly atop Will's shoulder. It felt good…the way Will's hands slid around his waist (Particularly the small of his back), his lips on his skin… The wine aided in his losing himself to those simple touches.

In the back of his mind, Alan knew they shouldn't be doing this… He's chosen to stay single, to not get involved with someone—to live his life alone until Thorns took him. But his body didn't listen, his soft protest being replaced with a sultry moan; "William…"

"Yes...?" he asked, as his hand slipped lower, sliding below the waist band of Alan's trousers, tugging at his shirt, pulling it out, while his mouth suckled delicately on the creamy flesh of the brunet's neck.

"W-we…" Alan gasped. ' _we shouldn't do this…_ ' he wanted to say, but he couldn't seem to form the words, "Nnnh…"

Will pulled back to look the brunet in the eyes, "You are so beautiful...so special." he ran his hands up Alan's body, stopping once they came to cup his face. He leaned forward and kissed him again. "Y-you taste like honey to my lips." he whispered against Alan's lips.

Damn, why was William so…smooth? Such a natural at flirting, yet he never practiced, unlike Grell, Ronald, and Eric who he'd seen flirt constantly with people. But William…his words made Alan melt. Sure, the wine may have had something to do with it—but Alan found himself falling under that man's spell all the same.

Ever the polite one, Will could not help but ask, "Alan...may I touch you?" His lips wandering back down to his neck. One of his hands, slipping to the back of Alan's head to support it, tilting it to the side for better access, the other playing with his tie.

"..You already are…" Alan hummed, his breath becoming uneven.

Will smiled, "True...but I meant more intimately..." The tie came loose and Will slid it from around his neck, dropping it to the floor.

"I—I never have…I can't…Will…I'm…I'm…" he tried, but failed to back out as his shirt buttons started being tugged open. As his already fogy mind fogged over with lustful thoughts and feelings, he slowly began to forget why he wanted to stay single. "I don't do one-night stands, William…"

Pulling his lips from the brunet's neck, Will looked him in the eyes. "Neither do I." he replied, his voice soft and comforting.

Alan's eyes widened, "Then…you mean..?"

The last button released on the brunet's shirt and using both hands, Will pushed it wide open. "Right now I want you and you want me...you cannot deny that." he kissed him. "Will you permit me to make love to you?"

Faint discolored marks could be seen on Alan's exposed skin, shaped like vines with thorns (The whole reason for the name of the illness) they stretched as if growing inside him, crawling up his body, threatening to suffocate his life force—his soul. Moving up from the line of his pants, up his torso and slightly up his neck where his shirt collar could cover it.

The brunet lowered his hands, letting his shirt fall from his arms and flutter to the floor, showing that the markings also moved along the length of his arms. "Are you sure…you want to? That you want…me?"

Will nodded, his hands tracing along one of the thorn trails, "Yes..." he looked up at the brunet, their gazes locking. "I had no idea... I mean this as not an insult, I know what they represent...but they are beautiful. You are beautiful."

He hoisted the brunet, up against the bookcase, wrapping Alan's legs around his waist. His lips pressed against the spot, where the thorn trail stopped at the brunet's collar bone.

Alan finally gave in completely, gasping as he clung to William.

Removing the brunet's hands from around his neck, Will pinned them against the books he pressed Alan into. His hip ground into the brunet, forcing their erections to rub against each other. Alan was equally as hard as William, that knowledge, he found increasingly, encouraging. Their eyes met briefly, before Will took one of the brunet's hardened nipples into his mouth.

"Aah!" Alan's head fell back against some books, pushing them back to the wall behind the shelf, and his fingers gripped the edge of the shelf. His body shivered, goosebumps appearing on his skin.

Will released the tortured nipple, his breathing becoming labored. "Do you...have any idea...how bad I wanted to kiss you...that night at the opera?"

"No…" Alan breathed, "I…I was oblivious, it seems…"

"I wanted you...then and there." Will gulped, pressing their lips together, heatedly. "I wanted to feel you...all of you."

"I'm sorry…It wasn't a date so I—!" His words were smothered with William's soft lips once more, and he felt himself pressed harder against the shelves of books. Will let go of one of Alan's hands. Fingertips wandered down the brunet's body. Gradually, his hand found its way to Alan's bottom, cupping it, squeezing it. William's urgency, making itself known as he grated his hips, pressing his arousal harder into the captive reaper.

"Tell me you want me...you want me as...much as I want...you..." Will requested. He already knew the answer, he could feel Alan growing stiffer by the minute, but he wanted to hear, hear it fall from the brunet's lips. To be assured that it was genuine and not just his body reacting to lust.

"I…I want to…" the brunet reached up to grip Will's sleeve, resting his forehead against his shoulder, "Of course I want to, but, I'm…you know why I fear this…William…"

Gently, William lowered the brunet. His hands cupped his face, "Alan look at me... I know how you feel..." he took a deep breath, before continuing. "I won't hurt you. I won't let you down...and before you protest. You won't hurt me, either."

Will leaned forward, capturing Alan's mouth, his tongue begging for permission as it slid along the brunet's lips.

Kissing back, the brunet allowed him permission to take the kiss deeper, though tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. He'd die. If he gave in and gave his heart to William…he'd die, leaving the older reaper alone…

"Trust...me... " William whispered into the kiss.

Alan pulled back and looked up into his companion's eyes, "…I'm not worth all the heartache and longing you'll feel…"

Sliding his hands around to the back of the brunet, Will cradled the back of Alan's head, forcing the brunet to continue to stare up at him. His other hand sat firmly at the small of his back.

"You are worth so much more than you know Alan Humphries..." Will softly kissed his forehead.

"How…" Alan leaned into his embrace, "…how am I falling for you..?"

"Probably the same way I am falling for you..." William smiled. With his hand still around Alan's waist. He lifted the brunet off the ground, crushing their mouths together, pulling him away from the bookcase. Slowly he began to step back, in the direction of his bedroom, distracting the brunet with his kissing.

Alan let out a small gasp of surprise, having not expected being picked up. He held onto William, as if afraid he'd be dropped.

As they crossed the threshold, Will turned around sitting the brunet back on his feet, their lips never parting. Unbeknownst, Alan was gradually being backed towards the bed.

"Mmm..." Will moaned, his trousers now too tight to bear. He needed relief, need to be freed. He needed the brunet; body and soul.

Reaching the bed, Alan let out a yelp of surprise as the back of his legs hit the edge of the mattress and he tumbled back onto the soft covers, blushing up at the man who now stood over him, their kiss having been cut off.

Will tugged at his tie, the knot came loose and he pulled it from round his neck, throwing it over his shoulder. He lay down next to the brunet, bending his arm; he rested his head on his hand. The fingers of his free hand starting at the brunet's cheek and crawling slowly down his body, stopping only when they reached the waist of his pants. Drawing circles over Alan's belt buckle, with his index finger.

Alan shivered again, "William…I—" he groaned, unable to let himself protest further, sliding his arms around the reaper and pulling himself closer, pressing a kiss to his lower neck.

Grinning, Will's hand glided further down, cupping the brunet's arousal. Slowly he caressed it. Though layers of clothing prevented him from fondling it proper, he could still feel Alan, reacting beneath his touch.

"Alan..." he groaned, pushing his knee between, Alan's legs, grinding his own arousal into the brunet's thigh.

"Hahh! Will… Pl-please!" the brunet gripped the other's shirt, hiding his face in it, "I…I've never…only by myself…"

Will stopped and asked soothingly, "Alan... are you saying, you have never been laid with?"

Alan nodded, his cheeks flushed pink, "Came close once—with Eric, but…" he bit his lip.

"You do not need to be embarrassed or shy." Will softly spoke.

He placed his fingers under the brunet's chin, making him look up. He felt shaky and nervous. He was afraid he would say the wrong thing or move the wrong way, causing Alan to bolt. It had been over a hundred years since he lay with a virgin. The thought of being Alan's first though, made Will feel special. To be the one to show him what love making was like, to experience it with him. The thought of seeing his reactions.

"I will be gentle...I promise to try and not hurt you." he assured, his eyes holding the brunet's gaze. "Would you like to touch me…explore my body?"

Running his hands down William's chest, Alan fumbled with a single button his fingers found, "It's tempting…"

"Take your time..." Will cooed, kissing the top of the brunet's head.

Alan sat up and moved to straddle William, cupping his face in his palms, "Promise me…if we do this…promise me you won't do anything stupid when I go…when the thorns have grown too much for my body to handle…don't let it destroy you, too…"

"Alan..." Will whispered, he reached up and touched the brunet's cheek. "Don't think such things... Live now... Embrace what you have right in front of you."

"Just—promise me…I need you to, Will…"

Will's heart pounded in his chest. It felt so intense. He could almost swear that Alan would be able to see it beating behind his flesh. He was just so in need of that promise. Will knew that at any time, Alan could take is last breath. But he was special and Alan deserved to know what it was like to have someone care, someone to make love to him.

He nodded, "Yes... Alan. I promise..." He pushed himself up and kissed him.

Alan sat atop him a moment, his eyes flickering back and forth as he studied William's face before he finally gave a small nod and pressed their lips together once more, briefly. "Thank you." He whispered, unbuttoning Will's vest.

Running his hands up Alan's thighs, Will whispered back, "You are welcome Mister Humphries."

"Then, I'll be yours…if you'll be mine until my end…"

Teasingly, Will tapped him on the chin with his index finger, "Will you be able to put up with me for eternity?"

"Only if you ease off on the overtime—for yourself included." Alan smiled.

Rolling, Will flipped Alan onto his back without warning. "Will you just shut up and let me make love to you?" Will growled, playfully. Hovering over the top of Alan. Will lowered his head and nuzzled the brunet, nipping lightly on his heated flesh.

"Ah-h…" The younger shifted, his leg rubbing up against Will's bulge.

Will groaned, His arousal twitching from the light contact through his trousers. "If you continue to arouse me like such...I may be the one to pass on...this instance."

Alan looked up at the older reaper, confused.

Chuckling, "Your knee Alan..." Will lightly brushed his lips over the brunet's ear, "You will be the death of me...if not tonight...someday. Especially...when you do not realize what you are doing to me, at any given moment." He pressed a soft kiss to Alan's neck.

"Should…I not move?"

"Touch me Alan... Do what you wish to me." Will encouraged, pressing his lips again to the brunet's neck, suckling him.

Alan's confused and innocent look melted into a moan, his eyes closing again as he slid his hands up William's sides, back over his shoulder blades, and hooking over his shoulders.

Will whispered seductively, "Undress me..."

Alan's eyes fluttered open, looking up into his companion's eyes before they flickered down and he watched as his fingers began to push open buttons one at a time, moving their way down his torso until he reached the button of William's slacks. Blushing, he also tugged open that one before moving to push the man's shirt and vest off his shoulders and arms.

Smiling, Will pulled his arms from his sleeves as the brunet pushed the clothing off of his body. With hands and arms free, he ran his hands over Alan's abdomen and chest, fondling him. Will lowered his body down, taking Alan's nipple into his mouth once more, tugging it with his teeth, caressing it with his tongue.

With a soft moan, the flustered, inexperienced younger male pushed Will's pants from his hips, gasping as the man shifted up to let the garments be slid down his legs, his hardened staff springing free and rubbing against Alan's.

Will reached down between them and unfastened the brunet's belt buckle. Slowly, he unpinched each button of his trousers. He paused for a moment, watching the brunet's face. "Touch me Alan... It is quite all right to do so." he cooed, taking Alan's hand in his own, guiding it to his burgeoning length.

Alan slowly gripped it, biting his lip as he slid his hand along it, "I…Will, do you have oils?" he whispered. He knew from overhearing people (Namely Eric, Ronald and Grell) talking about their sexual encounters. It seemed they always had an oil to make things better? Easier? Less painful? Maybe a little of each.

"Yes..." he moaned, closing his eyes. The brunet's touch was tender and gentle. He was nervous, Will could feel it in his fingertips, but it was also endearing. "But we won't need them...nnnh... just yet. I-I promise Alan... I shall go slow. I do not wish...uhn…to hurt you."

"Sorry…I'm just…I'm nervous, William…"

William leaned in and kissed the brunet. "Oh...Alan. You do not need to apologize. You are doing just fine." he assured, whispering.

"Are you ready for me to slide your trousers off?" Will asked nibbling his jawbone.

The brunet nodded, "I'm just…nervous…"

"Alright...you can touch me some more in just a moment." Will replied, softly. He rolled off the brunet and pushed himself up. He stepped the rest of the way out of his own pants and began to tug Alan's trousers down.

"Alan..." he called.

Alan lifted his head to look at Will.

Will cupped the brunet's face, crushing his lips. He just needed to feel those innocent lips again. Once satisfied, Will released him and slipped his trousers from his body. Letting them drop to the floor with his own.

Gently he lay back down next to Alan. "I am yours Alan... Do what you like."

Shifting his legs together, Alan glanced down at himself. The thorns moved up his legs, around his hips and up to the rest of him. The last time anyone had seen him nearly as exposed, the thorns hadn't been so noticeable, covering far less of his body—and it hadn't been for long as Eric had accidentally walked in on him while he was changing. Alan felt self-conscious about the marks—and even more-so at his hardened member standing tall as he lay on Will's bed.

Taking a deep breath, Alan tried to distract Will from himself with another long, sweet kiss.

Will understood, the brunet's discomfort, but he chose not to point it out, instead, he closed his eyes and savored the feel of Alan's lips kissing his own. His fingers caressed the brunet's cheek, before trailing down his neck and then to his shoulder. Will's tongue forced the brunet's lips apart as his desire was stoked. The kiss became hotter and more desperate.

"Ahmnn…" moaning into the kiss, Alan, once again, started to loose himself; pressing up against him as their tongues danced.

Slowly, not wanting to alarm the brunet, Will's fingers made their way down, over his chest, down his stomach and gradually slid further. Carefully he caressed Alan's shaft.

The brunet gave a sharp intake of air, his member twitching.

Concerned, Will broke the kiss and looked down at the brunet, "Did I hurt you?"

"No…" he shook his head, "I was just surprised…"

William smiled once more and slowly began to stroke the brunet. He lowered his mouth to one hardened nipple and began to suckle. He moaned against Alan's chest. His hip rocked forward, rubbing his erection along the brunet's thigh.

"Ah—William!" Alan moaned and grabbed his shoulders, holding them tight.

Slowly, Will's hands moved further down, his finger caressing the brunet's sensitive sack, running along the seam of his balls. His tongue continuing to torture the nipple in his mouth.

Alan writhed, unable to keep still, his foot kicking a pillow off the bed.

Will broke the kiss and chuckled at the sudden movement from Alan. His eyes smiled down at the brunet. He reached past Alan's head, under his pillow and pulled out at a small container of fluid. He began to slither down the brunet's body, trailing kisses over his chest and abdomen.

"Mmm…" Alan closed his eyes, "…feels good…" he reached down, running his fingers through Will's hair.

"Spread your legs." William commanded, as tenderly as he could, but it was beginning to become difficult to keep control. The longer his mouth wandered over he brunet's body, the harder he became.

He nipped at Alan's hip as the brunet was delaying the action of the command, he had given. "Alan...trust me." Will spoke. His hands slipped between the brunet's legs, urging them to part.

Slowly, his legs parted, and Alan flushed darker—if possible—as he felt so—exposed. Vulnerable…

Will laid down between Alan's parted thighs. His tongue flicking out, stroking the brunet's length. Reaching the tip of Alan's twitching member, Will placed his lips over the head, taking the brunet into his mouth. "Mmm..." he moaned.

"Ahh!" Alan gasped out in surprise, gripping the covers and letting out a long, quiet moan.

Grinning, Will nipped the tip of Alan's member, before taking him back into his mouth. His fingers began to caress the brunet's sack. Then dipping slightly lower, they circled his entrance.

Unable to stop himself, Alan suddenly rolled his hips, sliding his shaft deeper into William's mouth. He froze, realizing William had made a small gagging noise; "S-sorry! I…I am not sure what…"

Tears welled up in William's eyes as he felt Alan's jerk, his cock slipping further down his throat. He tried to hide the gag from the brunet, but still a slight sound escaped him. He looked up meeting Alan's gaze as he released the brunet from his mouth. Coughing just a bit, Will cleared his throat, "It is fine...Alan. Do not apologize." He gave the younger reaper a smile, assuring the brunet, that he was alright

Alan bit his lip, a worried, unconvinced look on his shy face. He reached out, cupping the man's cheek and rubbing his thumb along his lip, "…but I can't help but be sorry for it…"

Will stretched on top of Alan, careful not to put his entire weight on him. He kissed the brunet tenderly on the lips. "You need not apologize Alan. You have never done this before. All I wish to do is pleasure you. Show you what love making can be. Give you what you have never had." he explained as he brushed the brunet's cheek, with the back of his fingers.

"That doesn't change the fact I tried to choke you with my—my… It's embarrassing! For you as well, I'm sure…" Alan said, looking up into William's eyes and getting lost in the gentle, caring gaze of the usually strict, emotionless man.

Will shook his head, "I am not embarrassed Alan... and neither should you be. It was an accident." He leaned down again, pressing their mouths together, silencing the brunet. He kissed Alan harder, forcing his lips apart. His tongue plunged in, trying to get the brunet to melt and forget what happened. Stoking the embers, reigniting the fires in him.

"M-mhhn…" Alan closed his eyes, lips moving against Will's once more, hands sliding around the man's bared torso, feeling his muscles flex—Rhea, William was good-looking and toned under his suit…

Once again Will's hand slid between the brunet's thighs, tracing around his entrance. He was allowing Alan to get use to the feel of intimacy they would be sharing shortly. He caressed him, massaged him. Feeling the brunet relax a bit, Will uncorked the bottle. He had to break the kiss for a moment to make sure he didn't spill the fluids everywhere. When his fingers were coated well, he corked the bottle and resumed their kiss. Gently he eased a finger into Alan's body.

"Hahh!" Alan gasped into the kiss, his body tensing slightly from the foreign sensation of William's finger sliding up into his heated depths. "O-oh…" The surprise was soon overtaken by how strangely good it felt, and he began to relax once more.

"That's it... relax...enjoy it." Will coddled, his finger sliding in and out. Feeling the brunet relax even more, Will slid a second finger in. He began to nuzzle Alan, kiss his neck, suckling his neck. His digits pumping faster, crisscrossing inside of the brunet's heat, stretching him.

"W-Will—!" he hugged himself to the older reaper tighter, hiding his face in his shoulder and neck. It shouldn't feel this good—he had been convinced it hurt more than anything!

Determining that the brunet had been stretched enough, Will withdrew his fingers. He hoisted Alan's legs up, hooking them over his hips. Positioning himself, he rubbed his tip around the brunet's entrance. He covered Alan's mouth, kissing him as he thrust forward, entering him. Will swallowed his cry from the intrusion, staying perfectly still as his body adjusted to the feel of William deep inside of him.

Alan lay under the older, gripping his shoulders and breathing hard. His chest raising and falling quickly, and his mind buzzing from more than just alcohol. Eyes watering, he tried to relax, feeling almost like he'd be ripped in half at the slightest movement.

Will's heart ached, seeing the tears gathering in Alan's eyes. "Shh... Alan... look at me...please?"

Alan took a moment, taking a deep breath before opening his wet eyes to meet William's gaze. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out, so he took another shaky breath.

"Try and relax. It will get better I promise you. I am going to start moving and each time I do...it will feel more enjoyable." Will explained, kissing Alan's forehead.

Slowly Will pulled out, all that remained inside the brunet was his tip. Gradually he pushed back in, sheathing himself once more. Gently Will repeated the process over and over, each time he moved a bit faster as he felt Alan accept him inside his body.

"That's it Alan... move with me." he encouraged, feeling Alan's hips moving with his own.

Alan whimpered, but finally was able to relax. He swallowed, his next breath coming out a soft moan rather than a pained gasp. Slowly, he tilted his hips up and his eyes drifted closed as he ran his fingers down Will's arms, "Ahhn…"

Hearing the sweet sound of Alan's cry of pleasure, Will pushed deeper, with each thrust. The brunet was so tight and warm, Will knew he would be pushed over the edge quicker than he would like, but what a blissful fall it would be.

As William sped up, Alan's moans and pants fell into time with his movements. Tears were still in his green and gold eyes, but he hugged the man tight, his breath feathering across his skin, and his volume rising; "Ahh-ha-nnu—W-Will-iam—Gyhh—F-fuck!"

Alan wasn't one to curse, but the word tumbled past his wine-stained lips regardless as he hooked his legs around William, encouraging him.

Will removed the brunet's hands from his shoulders. Lacing their fingers together, he pinned them to the bed, one on each side of Alan's head. His heart thrummed hard against his chest. It felt as though it would explode. He began to thrust harder, his hips pitching faster. "Alan...ahh...mmm..." he groaned.

Alan arched his back, crying out. The pain had disappeared completely and he could only feel wave after wave of pleasure. Heat swirling in his gut as his climax built up, the world fading away until he was only aware of William—and then; "Nnyahh!" his body stiffened, twitching and shaking as he climaxed, spilling out over his stomach as his back arched so far he was lifted from the mattress.

Feeling the brunet clutch all around him, Will knew that would be it. He would now be thrown over the edge. He grit his teeth and pumped harder and faster, Alan's tightness, rubbing all around him. With one last thrust, Will spilled his seed deep inside of Alan. "Death's mercy..!" he called out, collapsing on top of the brunet.

Still panting, the younger reaper hugged the older, breathing in his scent. "William…That…that was…oh Rhea…"

Worried that he had been to rough on the brunet, Will pushed himself up and looked at Alan, letting their eyes meet first. Then gently he inquired after the brunet's well being. "I didn't hurt you did I...? I kind of forgot myself."

Alan shook his head, "Well…at first it hurt—but…" his cheeks flushed again, "No…that was…I never expected it to feel so…" he paused, unable to find the right word, "…good."

Chuckling, Will leaned down and kissed him. "I am glad. I did not wish to hurt you. I just wanted you to enjoy it." He nuzzled Alan and then whispered, "Can I get you anything? Are you comfortable?"

Alan shook his head, "I'm fine—a little tired—but…fine…" he paused, "…mind if I rest here a bit before I walk home?"

Will looked at the brunet perplexed. "Alan... I am not letting you leave after making love to you. You are staying right here with me. I will be right back. Stay there." Will kissed him long and hard, before pulling himself from the brunet's warm body and getting up.

He walked to the bathroom and grabbed a wash cloth and a clean towel, throwing the towel over his shoulder he ran the wash cloth under warm water, then wrung it out. Standing before the brunet, he proceeded to wash his abdomen and then dabbed the towel to dry him off.

Quickly he returned to the bathroom and washed himself off, hanging the towel and washcloth over the tub. He stopped by his closet on his way back to the bed and pulled out a pyjama set. It was green tartan, with red and black colors running through it. Will slipped the bottoms on and handed the top to Alan. "Here...slip this on and then I will turn down the bed covers."

Blushing, the brunet got up and slipped on the top, taking a moment to inhale its fresh smell as he watched William, his eyes roaming down along his half-naked form, lingering and watching his firm rear flex as he made the bed.

Will turned and looked at the brunet, he reached out for him, pulling him into his arms. "You look good in my pajama top." he whispered, nibbling on Alan's ear lobe.

Alan's heart sped up, and he tilted his head back, looking at the reaper before suddenly boosting himself up onto his toes to press his lips to Will's, reaching up to touch his cheek with his fingertips.

Suddenly, Will's anatomy reignited, feeling Alan's lips pressed to his own. "You are getting me excited again." he growled, crushing their mouths together. He picked the brunet up and laid him back down on the bed. Will followed him down, resting on top of him, never letting their lips part. He softly moaned into the kiss as his hand slid up the brunet's leg.

"Hmmm…sorry…" Alan said, a smile curling at his lips as he lay against the pillows.

Will's hand slipped between them, massaging the brunet. "You want me again... I can tell." He kissed Alan's neck. "I want to hear you say it Alan. Tell me you want me..." his breath feathered over the brunet's creamy skin.

Alan smiled gently, running his hand along William's side as he leaned in and shyly planted a few soft kisses to his shoulder, up his neck, along his jaw and finally, a lingering one upon his lips; "…No." almost giggling, he rolled over, pulling the blankets up to his chin and settling into the bed.

Stunned, Will looked down at the brunet, curled up in his bed. "Alan?" he called. He glanced down at his pants. His cock still saluting in his pants. Softly he sighed and crawled up behind the brunet. Deliberately he ground his erection into Alan's backside. "This is how you leave me... you little tease." Will whispered into his ear as he nuzzled him, kissing the back oh his neck.

"Not my problem—you are the one that apparently wants more after we have gotten into bed for the night. Greedy." He smirked.

"I put you in bed...but not to sleep, you cheeky thing you." Will licked his ear lobe. "Are you truly going to leave me in this state?" he asked, his hand slipping down and pinching Alan's ass.

Alan gasped and let out a soft moan, "We have work tomorrow…"

"Do you always go to sleep so early? Alan it is not even..." Will paused as he looked over at his alarm clock. Turning back to the brunet, Will continued. "Alan it is only seven o'clock in the evening."

"…Feels later! Your clock must be slow." Alan insisted.

"Fine you sleep... I am heading down stairs and try to relieve some of this tension or else I will not be able to sleep tonight. If you need anything I shall be in the music room." Will informed the brunet.

Will started to roll away when he stopped and and turned back to the brunet. He reached below Alan's chin and turned his head slightly. Sweetly, he kissed him. "Thank you Alan..." he whispered.

Alan reached out, grabbing his wrist, "William…you take things too seriously."

"That is all I have ever known... I do not know any better." Will replied, standing from the bed. "Go on and rest Alan... you need all you can get. You will most likely be sore in the morning."

Grabbing his robe, Will slipped his arms through it, but did not tie it. His bare feet padded across the carpet. He flicked the light switch off, blanketing the room in soft star light as hundreds of stars twinkled across the ceiling.

Alan watched him leave and sighed; feeling he was wrong to tease him.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	7. Chapter 7

Alan lay in the large, empty bed for close to twenty minutes before sitting up and looking to the door once more. He just couldn't sleep—not with William potentially upset over his teasing. He had thought he was being playful when he'd said 'no' the way he had. But William had took it so seriously…did he think that he didn't like him? That he regretted what they had done? With a sigh, the brunet pushed himself up out of the bed and padded silently out of the bedroom and down to the music room, hearing the soft tune of a piano playing. He moved to the door and peeked in, watching the man play.

The tune was familiar; an older song he remembered from his human life. It was sweet, and sad—lonely. One Alan could relate to—and one he knew the words to. Stepping into the room, Alan took a breath, his soft voice joining with the notes filling the room.

Startled, Will looked up to see the brunet, but he never missed a note as he continued to play. Inwardly he smiled; Alan's sweet voice was beautiful. He had never imagined the brunet was a singer. He loved the fact that Alan knew the song he played. How wonderful it was to have someone with him that enjoyed music as much as he did. Someone to share music with.

Will's fingers glided over the keys as he closed his eyes. He played from memory. The song was one he had learned a long time ago. He knew it like the back of his hand. It was his favorite piece.

He always played it when he was confused or stressed. It relaxed him, calmed the storms inside him. The song flowed through his body. When he played it, it became a part of him. It was his heart and soul.

Alan continued to sing, his voice growing more confident as he drew closer to the man, stopping right behind him and leaning in just as the last note drifted to its end. He slipped his arms around William's shoulders, resting his chin on them. "…I didn't mean to upset you…"

Looking up over his shoulder at the brunet, Will replied, "I am not upset. No... You do not need to think you did anything wrong. Come here..." Will pulled Alan around in front of him, placing the brunet between his legs. Alan's backside pressed against the keys of the piano, causing more than a few to sound. Will slid his arms around the smaller reaper's waist, resting his head against Alan's tummy.

Alan rested his hand on his shoulders, "…I hadn't meant to reject you, I was playing…"

Will listened, but he was not angry or disappointed. He placed a kiss to the brunet's stomach. It just felt good to hold someone, to have someone there. It had been too long since he was last with someone. The relationship had been venomous and had died before it had taken off. Afterward he swore to never give his heart away and he rejected all that had come looking for his company. But Alan was different. Alan was special and was exactly what Will needed.

He looked up, his eyes meeting Alan's. "Alan..." he whispered.

"…I…I just want you to know I don't regret it—what we did." Alan said quickly.

William smiled, "I do not regret it... I feel honored." He stood up, enfolding the brunet in his arms. "I am going to kiss you senseless now." he warned just before he crushed their lips together.

Alan's heart rate sped up again, and his arms slid up encircling the other's shoulders, a blush tinting his cheeks as he felt his rear exposed when the shirt he wore lifted up from the motion.

Will lifted the brunet up, sitting him on top of the piano. Alan's feet resting on the black and ivory keys, letting the notes ring out sloppily all at once. His tongue demanded entrance, wanting to tango with Alan's. He slid his hands down to the brunet's knees. Inch by inch, Will gingerly spread Alan's legs a part. He leaned into the brunet, between them, his nails raking back up Alan's thighs.

Alan gasped into the kiss, leaning back and supporting himself with one arm, the over-sized button-up shirt falling off his shoulder. His other hand moving to gingerly touch William's cheek as their lips moved against each other. His toes curled around the edges of the white keys, causing a few notes to ring out.

Instantly Will was hard, needing the brunet. He slipped his hands around to Alan's backside. He pulled the smaller reaper roughly to him, breaking the kiss. His lips seeking the delectable taste, of the creamy flesh, of his neck. "Mmm.." he moaned against Alan's sensitive skin.

"H…nnn…here?" Alan gasped, his arousal from William's attentions apparent with how his length lifted the hem of the borrowed shirt he wore. He moaned, feeling William's strong arms moving around him, touching him—needing him. "Hahhh…William—I want you…" he finally gave into the request he had teasingly denied earlier that night.

Will stopped and looked at the brunet. "Alan...?" Will held his gaze. "Are you sure?"

"William…it's too late for me to continue to deny I don't want this…want something more—and you know what my fate is but you still want me to be yours, regardless…" Alan rubbed his cheek with his thumb, "Wine may have nudged us, but it was still my choice…and I don't do casual flings, so yes…I want you."

Will cradled the back of Alan's head with his hand. He lowered his head and lovingly kissed the brunet. His other hand gently held Alan tightly to him. "Yes... I want you. Yes... I need you." Will whispered breaking the kiss.

His lips grazed along Alan's jawline, stopping once they made their way to his throat. Will's tongue traced a circle around the brunet's Adam's apple. "Ahh...you taste so good." he groaned. His words feathering over the younger reaper's raw skin.

Alan lowered himself so that he lay atop the grand piano, guiding William with him and running his fingers along his toned stomach.

Using the piano bench, Will casually followed the brunet's lead. He carefully laid his body down on top of Alan's pressing his lips firmly to the brunet's. He grasped the smaller reaper's hands, pinning them delicately above his head.

"I have never... made love... on a piano before." Will confessed, whispering across the brunet's lips.

"And you think I have?" Alan blushed, a hint of tease in his voice.

Chuckling, Will retorted, "Yes... you little vixen"

Alan reconnected the kiss, more music notes ringing out as he shifted his feet against the keys.

Will's hand slid beneath the hem of the pajama top, finding Alan's arousal. "You...you're so...hard for me." He mumbled into the kiss. His fingers wrapped around the heated flesh. "I wonder...can I make...you whimper?" He teased the brunet as his thumb caressed the top of Alan's erection.

"I…I was celibate, not asexual, William…" the brunet gasped, reaching up to grab the man's shoulder, "Of course I'm going to get hard when tempted by a man like you…"

A broad smile appeared on the dark-haired reaper's lips. "You find me tempting...do you?" Will inquired, tugging on Alan's bottom lip.

The brunet groaned, closing his eyes, "Do you deny that you are tempting me as we speak?" he rolled his hips, "Hahh…touching me…"

"I deny no such thing." William kissed the brunet's neck. "However...I think I am more...seducing you." He gave Alan's memeber a little squeeze, before stroking him. His hand gliding up and down the growing length.

"…only because your temptations are successful…"

"...oh Alan... How I would love to just take you right now." Will groaned, grinding his cock into the brunet's hip.

"What's stopping you?" Alan whispered, nibbling the man's neck and leaving a small purple mark on his skin.

Will, pumped the brunet harder, digging his erection harder into him. "While you may still be loose... enough. I have no...nnh... lubrication with me." He gritted through his teeth.

Alan flushed, and suddenly sat up, pushing William back to sit on the bench. He then moved to crouch between his legs and he pulled out William's erection, parting his lips as he slid it into his mouth to tease and wet it with a groan.

"Whaa?" Will exclaimed, finding himself no longer on the piano, on top of the brunet, but back on the bench. His back arched as he felt the warmth of the brunet's mouth encasing him. "Alan... ahh..." He moaned, running his fingers through Alan's soft brown hair.

The brunet pumped his head back and forth a few times, giving the man pleasure before pulling back and looking up at him, "Maybe this'll work?"

"Mmm...yes..." Will moaned, urging the brunet to keep going.

Alan nodded and returned to sucking on William, moaning around his shaft.

Feeling that he was nearing his end. Will plucked the brunet from his knees. He bent him over the piano and kissed his neck. "I need you so bad." he growled as he reached down, hoisting one of Alan's legs up, hooking it over his arm. Without another thought, he plunged into the warmth of Alan's body. Grunting as he filled him, completely sheathing himself within the brunet.

"Ahh-!" Alan gasped and rested his cheek on the smooth, polished surface of the piano, finding it easier to relax the second time.

Slowly, Will pulled out. He bit down on the creamy flesh of Alan's pale shoulder, as he slammed back into him. "Nnhh..." He groaned, flexing his hips and repeating his actions.

"W-William!" Alan gasped, his palms flat on the piano, fingers curling and scratching the smooth wood. He moved one hand to his lips, biting down on his knuckle.

"Ahh...A-Alan..." William moaned, thrusting harder. His orgasm was growing near. Building deep inside him once more. He was being selfish this time. The wine fogging his judgment as he had drank more since leaving the bedroom. He needed release, sweet release.

Alan was panting—moaning, gasping and crying out as he was pounded into. His hips being slammed into the edge of the piano. "Ghh—W-Wi— _ahh_!" Alan whimpered, trapped in position and biting harder on the knuckle of his finger.

Hearing the brunet whimper, pushed William over the edge. He gave one last, hard thrust and his orgasm flooded him. His hot, sticky seed, jetted from his twitching member. Coating the inside of Alan's walls. Will slumped forward on top of the small brunet. Gradually he let Alan's leg go, allowing Alan to stand on two feet. "Alan..." He murmured across the brunet's shoulder.

The brunet gasped and shivered, having come a second time himself—though not as much. The evidence of it dripping from the side of the piano and onto the floor and his toes.

Will collapsed to the floor, bringing the brunet with him. He laid back cradling Alan in his arms. "Merciful death Alan... If you are like that all the time. Death will be sweet for me." His eyes shot open. Will looked down at the brunet. "I am terribly sorry about that. I should have thought, before I spoke." He apologized, kissing Alan's forehead.

Alan stayed silent, hugging the man a little tighter.

"Are you alright Alan? I didn't mean to upset you or hurt you." Will asked, concerned he had hurt the brunet, not only physically, but emotionally as well.

The brunet shook his head, "We are Death Gods, William…such talk is…normal." He muttered into the man's bare chest.

"I suppose you are right on that. I just don't want to upset you Alan." Will replied as he ran his fingers through the brunet's short, brown locks. "I think it is obvious that you mean more to me, than just another reaper. Else I would not have invited you over or made love to you."

"I'd hope not…" Alan sighed, closing his eyes, "…But I'm sorry I made a mess on your piano…" he blushed.

"Huh?" Will looked up over the brunet's head. He blinked trying to focus on the drying seed, on his beautiful, expensive, black, grand piano. "Oh..." He moaned, laying his head back on the floor.

Alan nodded, "Couldn't help it—your fault, really…"

"My fault?" Will chuckled. "How so?"

"You chose to bend me over the piano rather than move us elsewhere." He smirked teasingly with a yawn. He closed his eyes, his long lashes feathering over Will's skin as he did so.

Hearing the brunet's yawn, Will started to move. "That is my cue. Come on Alan. Time for bed. We have had enough vigorous exercise for one night." He softly spoke as he rolled the brunet from his body and stood, pulling his pajama bottoms back on. Will looked down at Alan and offered his hand to help him from the floor.

Alan took his hand and helped pull himself up, leaning in and resting his head against the older's shoulder.

Will bent down and scooped the brunet into his arms. "Alright... ready?" He asked before heading to the door, making sure Alan was comfortable in his arms.

Blushing, Alan tugged his borrowed shirt down to cover his rear from being so exposed in his position, "Ready." He nodded and left a timid kiss on William's cheek.

Eventually, Will made it up the stairs with the brunet in his arms after, staggering a few times. The alcohol in his system trying to close his eyes for him, but as he approached the bed he let out another hardy chuckle. "Alan... We are almost there. Sorry for the bumpy ride, but at least I didn't drop you. That would have been bad."

Will's knees collided with the edge of the bed as he carefully lowered the brunet onto the comfortable mattress. Barely able to keep his own eyes open any longer, Will collapsed on top of the brunet and kissed him.

"Good...night... Alan." He whispered, reaching down for the covers.

"You aren't the one getting squished." Alan teased sleepily, making the man roll off him before curling against his side, "…Night, William…"

* * *

**To be continued...**


	8. Chapter 8

The sound of an alarm, sliced through the heavy veil of sleep that Will was under. Groggily he stirred and rolled over to turn the screaming alarm off. His fingers were stopped by his glasses as he was about to rub the sleep from his eyes. He yawned before he realized Alan was still sound asleep next to him. A smile instantly appeared on his face, the memory of the night before returning to him. The air was crisp and cool to his naked flesh. Pulling the covers back up over his shoulder, he slipped his arm over the brunet's waist snuggling up to his back side. Tenderly, he kissed Alan's neck just below the ear and whispered. "Alan, good morning. Time to wake up."

With a moan, the brunet rolled over and tried to shove himself deeper into sleep, nuzzling his face into Will's shoulder and curling up into a ball. His usually neatly combed hair was a mess, sticking up every which way, a few gentle curls making themselves known.

Will reached up and ran his fingers through Alan's brown locks, pausing to play with one of the unruly curls. His other arm pulling the brunet further into his arms as he laid back onto his back. "Alan. You are going to have to wake up sooner or later. I know you had a lot to drink last night, but we will have to eventually show our faces at work." Will softly spoke, kissing the top of Alan's head.

"Mmm…" Alan squeezed his eyes tighter before letting out a sigh and slowly letting them flutter open, blinking a few times when he realized he was not in his own apartment or at the hospital, "…Hu? What?" Then he realized he felt arms around him and he pushed himself up his eyes catching sight of the blurred face of William T. Spears. His cheeks heated to a deep red, realizing he was half naked, and the memories of the night before flooding back in his mind "…Ah!"

Smiling, Will, urged the brunet to lay back down. "It is okay, just lay back down here in my arms. You have nothing to be ashamed of." He cupped the back of Alan's head, his fingers caressing the dip in the back of the brunet's skull.

"But we—Oh Rhea…did we…we did, didn't we..? That wasn't just a dream? S-Sir I…" Alan took a deep breath to calm himself, "…Is it really okay?"

"Twice. In here, and on my piano." Will smiled, kissing the brunet's lips. "No 'Sir' in my house. Just 'Will'."

"I just…we drank last night and…You might have regretted it…our judgment was impaired…" the brunet sank back into the man's arms, feeling the blush spread to his ears.

"Alan... How could I regret being with you? You're beautiful and intelligent. You have a kind spirit and do you remember anything from last night?" Will asked, quirking an eyebrow at the brunet.

"Most of it…I think…I just…you were drunk as well…I don't know how much of that was you and how much was the wine…"

"I was not that drunk. I do not get drunk easily and what I said about the night of the opera is true. I wanted to kiss you good and hard that night." Will reminded the brunet.

Alan stayed still, his eyes studying the blurred features of the older reaper's face. Then, without a word, he rolled up on top of the man, pressing their lips together.

William's hands snaked around Alan's waist. He held the brunet tightly to him. One hand slid up Alan's back, coming to rest on the back of his head. "I could...get use to this." Will whispered into the kiss, his eyes closing once more to relish the moment. Memorizing the feel of the brunet's body pressed against him.

"…I could too…" Alan flushed, shivering as Will's fingers tickled along his back.

Reluctantly, William opened his eyes and cleared his throat. "Would you like me to make some breakfast or should we stay like this a bit longer?" He asked a bit bashfully.

"…depends on the time and how long we have before we are supposed to clock in at work."

"We have about four hours till we have to be there." He smiled back at Alan, wiping the hair from his face.

"Then we have time before we both shower, dress and eat…" Alan snuggled into his chest.

Will chuckled, "Snuggling it is then."

"Mm," Alan smiled and closed his eyes, "…Uhg, I'm not looking forward to Eric finding out about us…he's going to be smug because he was right…I fell for you…"

Will stared back at Alan. His brow raising, shocked by the brunet's proclamation. "Fell for me? Alan...?" He inquired, careful to not embarrass him.

He nodded, "I tried to tell myself I didn't need love. Only friendship…but ever since we went to the Opera…"

Cupping the brunet's face, William captured his lips, crushing their mouths together. Gradually he rolled over, pinning the brunet below him. Carefully he slid his hand down Alan's body, coming to rest on the brunet's hip. His tongue, slipped past Alan's lips, dipping in to dance with his.

Alan hummed into the kiss, "…What do we do now?" he asked gently after their lips parted, "I never…dated anyone before…"

"Well... I am probably not the right person to ask that question. I have not dated anyone since my academy days and that was shaky at best. I am not social and therefore have no clue how we are to proceed... that is other than go on dates. I would presume." Will answered, a hint of laughter in his eyes as his hand caressed Alan's hip.

With a sigh, the brunet relaxed again against him, "…You still have more experience than I do." He smiled, "We'll figure it out…"

"Yes, we will." William replied, kissing the brunet once more. "Now, when we do decide to crawl out of bed. You take your shower first and I will prepare some breakfast and then we can eat before I take mine."

Will began to play with the hem of his pyjama top when a thought hit him. "Alan...? What do you plan to wear? To work that is."

Alan blushed, looking at the clothes scattered about the floor in a path from the library to the bed. He had been wearing a casual suit, not his work suit, and his apartment was in the opposite direction from the office. "I…"

"My suits are way too big. They would never fit you." Will could not help himself and started to chuckle. The image of Alan in his suit tickled him pink. He could not help it, nor hide the blush that painted his cheeks.

"I—I'll have to leave early to go home first…"

Will sobered at the brunet's words. "Well at least allow me to fix you breakfast before you leave. If we get up now and head downstairs, you can get your stomach full and still have enough time to run home and get cleaned up, before having to head to the Dispatch."

Alan nodded, and opened his mouth before hesitating, "…If…if we are going to be together like this…we should have suits at each other's places…for mornings like this…" he flushed.

"That seems practical and reasonable." Will agreed. He pecked the brunet on the lips, before throwing the covers off of their warm bodies.

"Ah! Cold!" Alan pulled his bare legs up under him as the morning air hit them, "…pajamas, too…"

Walking over to his closet, Will pulled out a flannel bath robe and handed it to the brunet. "This one won't be as big on you and it is warm." Will pulled a undershirt from his chest of drawers and slipped it on, over his head to provide him a bit of warmth, from the chilly morning air. He looked over at his partner and motioned to the door. "Shall we, Mister Humphries."

Alan nodded, getting up and slipping on the robe and glasses before hurrying over to his…lover? Boyfriend? Whatever they were now, it wasn't as simple as Boss and Employee, anymore.

Smiling, Will took Alan's hand. Clover's head popped up and he bounded after them, giving a tiny, happy bark. "Good morning to you too. Would you like to go outside?" Will asked the dog as they headed for the stairs.

"William…what are we? Boyfriends? Lovers?"

Will stopped mid way down the stair case and turned to look back up at Alan. "Well to be honest I had not thought about that. Obviously I would say we are lovers now... as for the other. You did make me commit to you before we got overly carried away." He reached out and touched the brunet's cheek. "One would assume that would make me yours and you mine. If that makes us boyfriends, then... "

He stepped up on the same step, so that he was peering down into the brunet's eyes. "I am your boyfriend... Alan. And that would make you, my boyfriend. The question is how eager are you for everyone to know this fact?"

Alan blushed and tilted his head back to look up at William, "I…not that I am embarrassed or anything but…I dislike being the center of attention…when it's just you it's fine, but at work…" he bit his lip, "You know they'll gossip at least—your reputation alone would…"

"I am not worried about my reputation. The reapers at the Dispatch have always gossiped about me and what I am up to. I have heard a lot of stories that have been concocted." Ruefully Will smiled back at the brunet. "Perhaps Alan, we give them something to talk about." He suggested, taking the brunet by the hand and leading him to the kitchen.

"Walking into work together would do enough for that. I walked in with Susan from records once and they thought we were dating…"

Will slid the door open, allowing Clover out to relieve himself. His brow twitching at the mention of the short blonde. "Susan? How in the realm did they ever come up with that notion? Especially considering Susan despises males and only seeks the company of females."

He walked back up to the brunet. "By and by I know this for fact. We were stuck in the lift once for several hours. That woman could not stop gibbering about how horrid the male species was and I tried to correct her... that males were not their own species... needless to say, I try to avoid that insufferable female whenever possible." He kissed the top of Alan's head. "Now breakfast."

"She seemed decent enough to me." Alan shrugged, slipping his arms around him, "Of course I was the guy not interested in dating at all—men or women."

"And look what I have gotten you into." Will smirked as he lowered his mouth to the brunet's, kissing him roughly. His hands wandering down to Alan's back side, cupping him and squeezing him. For a reluctant moment, Will broke the kiss to whisper. "I do not want to let you go."

"You know…she's right. Men like you are a bad influence." Alan smiled against his lips.

"I want to carry you back upstairs and ravish you." Will whispered, leaning his forehead against the brunet's. "I do not want to ever let you out of my bed. Even it just means to hold you and nothing more."

"Now that doesn't sound anything like the William Spears I know. Imagine the overtime and headaches such a thing would cause everyone!"

Sighing, Will backed away from the warmth of his lover. "You are right. We must desist. Come now... what would you like to break your fast?" He asked, turning from the brunet to let Clover back into the house.

"What do you normally have?" Alan asked, following him, "And how can I help?"

"It varies, depending on what I am desiring from morning to morning. Do you have a craving? I can fix just about anything you like." replied William as Clover bounded in, heading straight for the brunet.

"…Pancakes, perhaps? I used to have them all the time but haven't had the time to make them lately…" Alan said petting the dog fondly. Clover excitedly jumped up, pushing Alan to the ground before proceeding to assault his face with kisses.

"Alright! Pancakes it is. Would you care for blueberry or regular?" Will asked as he headed for the ice box. Only to stop when he heard Alan's yelp as Clover began to assail him with affection.

"Clover!" He exclaimed, running to aid the brunet.

"Regular is fine." Alan laughed.

"Are you alright? Clover...well, he isn't use to company. I am sorry." Will blushed, offering his hand to Alan. He had never seen Clover act that way before, it had surprised him. He relaxed some seeing the smile on the brunet's face, alleviating the embarrassment he felt.

"It's fine, Will. He's just happy to see me and he is still a puppy. No harm done." Alan pressed a kiss to William's cheek.

"Puppy my..." Will cleared his throat. "Alright regular old fashioned pancakes." He nodded and headed back to the ice box. As William opened the fridge, he asked, "Would you like to enjoy them here, in the kitchen or should we carry them on a tray and eat in bed?"

"No point. We are both already down here. But how about out in the garden…I remember seeing a lovely little table set up out there near the door."

Will looked up, not expecting that reply. "In the garden? You-you... but wouldn't you be cold out there? I mean if you would like to, we can. I am just surprised. That was very unexpected." He rambled, placing the ingredients on the counter.

"We can take a light blanket out to wrap up in if it's a chilly morning. I…I like being outside. I have to spend so much time indoors between work and the hospital…"

"I suppose we can." Will smiled, grabbing a mixing bowl. He didn't know what it was about the brunet, but he just wanted to do anything and everything he could to give him whatever he wanted. If sitting in the crisp morning air was what Alan wanted, then that was exactly what they would do.

"Before we go out side, you may want to slip your shoes and socks back on... so as not for your feet to freeze." Will suggested, mixing the egg in as he made the batter.

"Hmm…come to think of it…where are my shoes?" Alan slipped his arms around William, peeking around his shoulder as he watched the man cook, "…With the wine we had yesterday I can't remember when or where I took them off—or you did if that were the case…"

"If you do not see them in the bedroom, they are more than likely in the library." Will replied. He himself could not recall what happened to their foot wear. He was so lost to lust and the wine, parts of the night before were missing from his memory.

"Also while you are up there... would you mind grabbing my slippers. They are under the right side of the bed. You can not miss them." He quickly added as he poured the batter onto the griddle.

Alan nodded and turned to hurry up the steps to the bedroom. It took him a while, but he finally located his shoes and socks under a table in the library. After slipping them on he looked under the bed, suppressing a giggle. Under the vale of blankets, there was revealed to be two sets of slippers. And while he knew William had meant the simple blue ones, he reached for the ones shoved further under the bed, obviously having been forgotten for a long time. He then hurried back down to the kitchen, addressing William with a giggle in his tone; "I would have never expected you to have fluffy pink bunny-slippers." He said, holding them up.

"What?" Will turned around, his cheeks turning bright red. "Where did you find those? My stars! I-I... Oh honestly, how embarrassing." He stammered, none to pleased to be reminded of the gift he had received from Grell.

The damnable redhead had thought them adorable and one winter a few years back, had left them on his desk. They were in a red box, wrapped in red paper with a red bow. A note had been attached, saying, 'To keep your feet toasty, since you won't let me do the honors.' A pouty face had been drawn next to Grell's signature.

Alan giggled and handed them to him, "I think they're cute—but unlike you. I grabbed these ones to get you back for the soreness in my rear this morning."

Will dropped them onto the floor and slipped them on his feet. "Well at least they are warm and..." he pulled the brunet into his arms. His hand dipped down and caressed Alan's tender rump. "I am terribly sorry for that. I did not mean to cause you any discomfort." He placed a chaste kiss to the top of the brunet's head.

Alan blushed, "…from what I understand it's unavoidable…it was my first time…and we did it twice…" he looked at the pan, "Might want to flip those."

"Oh!" Will exclaimed, quickly flipping the last two pancakes. "I-I... thank you."

Alan chuckled, smiling softly as he thought about how cute William was when he was distracted.

Nervously, Will scooped up the pancakes, stacking them on top of the rest. He was never that careless. It had to be the brunet. But why did Alan seem to have his nerves in a tangle? He smiled down at the smaller reaper by his side. "There is juice and milk in the ice box. Grab which ever you like and a couple of glasses. I shall grab the utensils and plates as well as the syrup."

Will placed everything on a tray and headed towards the door. "The blanket on the back of the sofa. It should be big enough for the both of us and I forgot napkins. There is some on the table."

Nodding, Alan poured them each a glass of milk, as it would help cut through the syrup better than a sugary juice. Then he helped carry things out to the table outside and sat down in one of the chairs among the lilies growing around it.

Alan sat the napkins down and scooted his chair around next to Williams so that they could share the blanket.

"I hope you enjoy your breakfast." Will smiled as he began to pour some syrup on his pile of cakes.

"Why would I not?" Alan asked, sprinkling powdered sugar onto his cakes and waiting for the syrup.

"You are the most optimistic reaper I have ever met. I nearly burnt a couple of them. I hope that extra browning does not ruin the flavor." Will replied quirking a brow at the brunet as he picked up his fork and knife.

"The flavor isn't the only thing that makes a meal enjoyable, William."

"Oh, and what else makes a meal enjoyable?" Will asked, giving the brunet a hard time, goading him on.

"The company." the brunet stated simply.

Will reached out, tipping the brunet's face up, he leaned in and kissed Alan's powdered lips. "You taste sweet." He grinned, his tongue flicking out, swiping the sugar from the brunet's lips.

"And you're sticky." Alan smiled against Will's syrup-covered lip.

Blushing, Will made a suggestion. "Why don't you use your tongue... Never minds" He quickly averted his gaze, shoving another forkful of pancake into his mouth.

The brunet smiled and turned back to his plate, cutting off small bites.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	9. Chapter 9

William stood examining the cinematic record that flowed from an old woman's chest. Due to the lack of reapers available, Will had had to take it upon himself to over see the collection of the Potts couple. The loving husband and wife had passed away in their sleep, together in each others arms. He tried in vain to concentrate on her record, but his mind kept drifting to the brunet that had spent the past night with him. Alan and himself had fallen asleep in each others arms, just as the couple that lay before him did. And he wondered what it would be like to be so in love, to live and breathe together and then pass on together. But that would never happen with Alan. Even if they did fall in love so deeply, they could not die. Except Alan had thorns and perhaps one day he would pass? Most likely though, that would be sometime off in the future. He had lived this long, surely his time of passing was no where near.

Again, Will looked at the woman's record. Her life was full of love and laughter. Good times and bad. He watched as she vowed to spend the rest of her life with her husband. A small affair their wedding was, but full of love. Again that notion. Could he fall in love with the brunet? It was possible. He desired the brunet and now that he had a taste, he wanted more. Alan was also good company. He could converse with him, unlike other reapers. And Alan was gentle and kind. There was not a single evil bone in his body. Will knew this to heart. Alan had worked for him a great number of years and he had seen how he was with the others in the office. He had the patience of a saint... most of the time. He could with stand Slingby's prodding and that in itself was a feat. No, Alan was a perfect companion. Will had no regrets asking the brunet to the opera or inviting him into his home. Even Clover had taken instantly to him. A smile appeared on the stoic reaper's face. A goofy grin to be exact. The brunet had made a major impact, one Will had not been prepared for.

"Oh-ho-ho~ Darling~ I have never seen such a look upon such a handsome face as yours! Who are you and what have you done with my darling, darling William?" Grell cooed from the window.

The redhead's voice broke through the daze that Will was lost in. He shook his head as if to remove the fog from his mind. His eye twitched from irritation and he adjusted his glasses before turning to face the obnoxious reaper.

"What are you doing here Sutcliff? Aren't you suppose to be on the other side of town on a reap?" Will asked through gritted teeth.

"Relax! I got it done! I stopped by when I heard you were working the field~" he giggled and hopped off the sill and swayed over to William, "So who's got you cracking a smile, darling? It can't have been little old me, could it?" he asked, pinching the man's cheek.

William swatted Grell's hand away. " Do you mind? And no, Grell, you could never induce such as a smile from me. I have repeatedly told you... I am not and never will be attracted to you. Your conduct alone is unappealing." He glowered at the redhead as the woman's cinematic record came to its end.

Carefully he pulled his scythe from her body and approached the man's side of the bed. A shadow moved across the wall from where he was now facing, as though the shadow had been hidden behind him.

"Did you see that?" he asked not taking his eyes from the spot.

"See what?" Grell walked over, slipping his arms around him, "I only heard the sound of my frail heart breaking once more! Oh darling why won't you embrace me?"

Sighing, Will began to peel the redhead from his body. "Grell please refrain from touching me. If not, I shall file a harassment complaint or worse, I will demote you and take away that ghastly thing you call a scythe. And never minds as to what I saw...it was apparently nothing."

"All things you have done before, love. You should know by now that they are empty threats!"

"I assure you they are not empty threats. I can not have you hanging off of me, it would be wrong and highly disrespectful. Now please desist and either make yourself useful and do something or return to dispatch." Will barked, adjusting his glasses once more.

"Kiss first!" the redhead puckered his lips at the taller reaper.

Will's lip curled. "I will do no such thing."

"Then you are hereby stuck with me, darling~" Grell giggled, "..unless there is some other lady who's stolen you away…"

Will's brow quirked as he looked down at the redhead, latched onto his person. "It is none of your business if I have someone in my life. But if that will get you to unhand me and leave me be... then yes there is now someone."

"What?" Grell froze, "For real? Who?" he demanded.

"I am not at liberty to say." Will replied as he lifted his scythe but stopped, mid air. A scent catching his nose. "Do you smell that? Surely you do."

"Smell what? Stop avoiding the question! Either you are with someone or you aren't!"

"Sulfur. And Grell you must be able to smell it?" Perturbed, Will scowled at the annoying redhead.

"…You have been working too hard. And for your information, your desk is not a suitable girlfriend!"

"We need to get that soul extracted and get out of here. Something feels off putting and I want to make sure that soul is not lost. Keep an eye out while I collect it, will you." Will commanded the redhead as he drove his scythe into the old man's chest.

"Darling, if a demon is around we'd smell it."

Will turned his head and stared at the redhead next to him. Exasperated, "Honestly...you are saying you cannot smell the sulfur in the air?"

"Of course not!"

Turning back to the man's records, Will shook his head in disbelief... of all the reapers to show up, it just had to be Grell Sutcliff. Either he, himself was imagining things or Grell was denser than he had realized.

Invisible fingers raked their way through the crimson locks, adorning Grell's head.

Grell stiffened, looking around, but said nothing.

Noticing the erectness of Grell's posture out of the corner of his eye, Will glanced at the redhead and asked. "What is wrong with you, now?"

"Nothing's wrong with me!" the redhead snapped.

"You are a horrid liar... Grell Sutcliff. Tell me now. Did you see or smell anything or perhaps something else?" Prodded Will as the old man's records drew nearer to its end.

"The only thing wrong here is you rejecting me over and over, Will-darling!"

Quite agitated, Will sighed. "Fine... Honestly."

He pulled the scythe from the man's chest and adjusted his glasses. "Now let us be..." Will's head whipped around towards the door. The sound of scratching on the wood paneling, had the hairs on the back of his neck, standing on edge.

"I suppose you do not hear that as well... Grell?"

"Hear what? You saying you'll go on a date with me?" he cooed, "Darling, of course I will~"

Will could feel his temper beginning to come to a boil. "Sutcliff... if you do not desist..." He stopped, before he could finish. He didn't want to loose it again, like he had at the medical ward. But the desire to crush Grell Sutcliff's skull in, was growing more appeasing by the second.

"Whats the harm in one little date?" he pouted.

"You are treading on thin ice, Grell... and something else is lurking inside this house." His voice held warning to it. His eyes piercing the door as he walked up to it. He reached for the knob.

Grell rolled his eyes, "What's the harm in one dinner date with me? Afraid I may actually thaw out that icy cold heart of yours? Come on. One date and if you tell me no after that, I'll promise to leave you alone and move on!"

Will stopped and rounded on the redhead. "What part of no, I am not interested in you do you not grasp, you daft cow!?" He glared down at Grell, his hand within inches of chocking his tiny little neck. "I am a committed man. I will not cheat. But even if I was single. I still would not go on one single date with you."

Grell was speechless—the look on his face in absolute shock. His mouth dangled open, eyes wide behind red frames.

"Now I am going to turn that knob and find out what is going on in here. I suggest you stay quiet and be on guard." Will ordered, more than suggested as he turned from Grell's surprised expression.

Darkness. Just as Will's hand landed on the knob a breeze wafted through the room, snuffing out the lamp on the table. The room fell to the night and yet no star or moon light shined through the window. It was a clear night. There should have been even the faintest of light filtering in. Yet there the two reapers stood, shrouded in black.

"…Good job. You broke the moon." Grell growled, clearly in a bad mood.

"Hush! I can't see a damn..." Will's sentence was cut short as a hand grabbed him and tossed him clear across the room. His back cracked, the sound of his body hitting the opposite wall. He moaned as he tried to right himself, a sharp pain as he realized his left arm was dislocated. "Grell?!" he cried out, his voice laced with pain.

"What?" Grell growled, "I didn't s—ah!" he felt a foot kick him in the chest and he flew back. "Don't bloody kick me!"

Will heard the commotion, and looked up in the direction of Grell's voice. "Grell!?" he called once more. "Are you al...sss...right?" he hissed. The pain in his shoulder shot across his chest.

"Ah...oww..." Will moaned as he forced himself to stand. He grabbed his left shoulder with his right hand, realizing his scythe was missing. Internally he cursed.

"No I'm not bloody well 'all right'!" Grell snapped, standing up and summoning his scythe.

"G-Grell... ahh... where the bloody hell are you?!" Will hollered, panic rang through his voice. He was helpless, injured and unable to even see the lids of his eyes closing. They were in danger and they needed to get out of there fast.

"Wherever you kicked me." Grell responded, "I think I hit a dresser?"

"Kicked you? I did no such thing. Something threw me clear across the room. Can't you tell where my voice is coming from? I am no where near you. Now find me, so we can get out of here." Will replied a bit tartly. He was growing anxious by the second.

"How do I know you didn't move after kicking me? You kick and hit me all the time!"

"Damn it Grell! Get over here! I need your help! We are going to end up dead if we do not find a way out of here!" He yelled urgency in his voice now. The strong smell of sulfur filled the room. "Shit!"

"I can't!" Grell said after a pause. "…my leg won't move…"

Will's face contorted, his arm was beginning to feel numb. He stood with his back against the wall. If Grell had landed into a dresser, then he would be near a wall. Slowly Will slid along the wall, careful to not bump his arm on anything. As he came to various pieces of furniture, he would feel his way around them. The darkness was almost unbearable. It felt like he was being suffocated. Finally he reached a corner of the room. He looked out in front of him. Where was the window? How could he not be able to make it out? It was if they had been tossed into a box with no holes or cracks. What kind of demon had the power to snuff out the outside world?

"Grell? Talk to me. I need to follow your voice." Will ordered the redhead as he began sliding down the second wall.

No response came.

Will froze. "Grell?!" he yelled louder. He listened closely, trying to hear anything, even the faintest of sounds. His hearing was exceptionally sharp, but there was nothing. He could not even hear his own breathing.

The feel of a sharp claw raked down William's back and then disappeared so quickly. William almost doubted it had happened at all. Except there was the sensation of blood soaking his clothes, where he'd felt the claws rake across his back. And then a dark cackle sounded as the room flooded with light again, blinding the reaper for a moment.

When his eyes readjusted and he looked around, it didn't take long for his gaze to fall upon Grell; perched atop the dresser like an over-sized rag doll. His body limp, his eyes, though open, held a dead stare, as if the red reaper saw nothing. His lips sewn shut with a course black thread, and blood rolling down his cheeks, making it look like he was crying red tears.

"Grell?!" Will Hollered, moving as quickly as he could to the reaper's side. He didn't see Grell's scythe laying on the floor and tripped. His body fell with a loud thud to the hard floor. His cheek scratching on one of the wooden panels that made up the flooring. Splinters embedding themselves in his pale flesh and blood seeped from the tiny wounds. He groaned as he turned his head and looked up at the crimson reaper, the room beginning to spin.

"No. I have to get us out of here... before whatever that was comes back." He mumbled to himself, hoping the sound of his voice could keep him from passing out, but a wave nausea over took him and he spilled the contents of his stomach.

Feeling he was not going to hurl anymore, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Painfully, he pushed himself up. He used the dresser to steady himself. He looked down at Grell.

"I am sorry. I should not have been so crass. I am going to get you out of here and get help." He assured the redhead, reaching out, running his hands along Grell's blood red hair.

He bent over and picked up the chainsaw, sitting it down next to Grell.

"Grell can you hear me? I need you to help me... please? I am going to open a portal with your scythe. I need you to hold onto me. I can't carry you and your scythe. My left arm is dislocated and I can't leave you hear alone." Will instructed the redhead. He was deeply disturbed by the sight of Grell's lips sewn shut. If Grell could just move and latch onto him he could get them through the portal.

But Grell didn't move, he made no sign that he heard a word William had spoke as his head flopped to the side when his weight was shifted. It was clear the redhead was unable to help himself, which in turn put William in quite a predicament.

"Hell's spells, Grell." Will gritted his teeth trying to toss the redhead over his shoulder. "The one time I want you to latch onto me and you can't."

Nervously Will looked around the room as he laid Grell back down on the dresser, carefully. He couldn't just open a portal and throw the scythe through, no he had to keep his hand on the bloody thing or the portal would immediately close. And with his left arm unusable, he could not hold onto it and the redhead.

–What to to do?

He stood pondering, when a sound coming down the hall had him whirling around towards the door. He hefted the scythe onto his shoulder, ready to use it as best he could in case danger was lurking outside the bedroom.

"Senpai?" a boyish voice called out as the door opened, Ronald poking his head in cautiously, "You're an hour late—and Grell-senpai is missing as…" he trailed off, his eyes widening at the sight before him, "…What…what happened?"

"Knox..." Will let out his breath. He hadn't even realized he was holding it.

Will dropped the scythe and collapsed to the floor, the room spinning once more. He could feel his stomach churning. He motioned the blond to move aside, just as more contents from his stomach spilled from his lips. He wiped his mouth once more.

"Demon. I am sure of it. We cannot stay. It is to dangerous and I am incapacitated. Grell's in worse shape. He needs medical attention stat. I need to find my scythe. Can you carry him?" Will rambled, his skin still crawling from the incident.

Ron held up his finger, "Hey! Alan! He's up here! Come help me, would ya?! Grell's looking not so good!" The sound of footsteps on the steps sounded and soon Alan hurried into the room, letting out a startled gasp.

"I know, right?" Ron muttered, walking over to Grell and grunting as he picked him up.

"M-my s-scythe. It was k-knocked from m-my hands... N-need to find... it." Will's teeth started to violently chatter as he spoke, looking over at the redhead in Ronald's arms. His eyes then, frantically, began to scan the room.

"William—what happened?" Alan asked, looking up at him, "And lean on me! I won't break, you know. Your scythe is over there. We'll go grab it."

"L-eave me and g-get it f-first. I-I will d-d'miss it. Y-you'll h-have to grab G-Grell's." Will ordered, letting go of the brunet, and leaning back against the wall.

"Your bickering like a married man, Senpai." Ron sighed, walking over and grabbing the scythe, "Really. Yours isn't like Grell's. Its light as a feather."

"D-don't jar h-him s-so much." Will grumbled at the blond as he wrapped his arm around Alan's neck. His lids began to flutter. He felt like he was on the verge of collapsing, passing out. "G-go..." he mumbled the order.

"Will, I can't carry you; you have to stay with us a little longer, okay?" Alan soothed, opening a portal and holding it open as Ronald carried Grell through before he guided William through.

"I-I try." he replied, but as soon as they crossed over and the portal closed behind them, Will's legs buckled. Unable to support himself any longer he dropped to the ground the brunet being practically dragged to the floor with him. "Alan..." he whispered as his eyes, fell shut.

"Ron, get Grell to the infirmary and send help. I can't get him myself—too heavy."

Ronald nodded and hurried towards the medical ward with Grell in his arms, leaving Alan alone with Will. "Will," he stroked the man's cheek, "What happened to you two..?"

"N-not sure. T-think demon." Will whispered, unable to open his eyes. The feel of Alan's hand touching him, felt soothing. He was holding onto that thought. Alan was there, with him, talking to him. They weren't in danger any longer. "Bl-blackness... P-power..." he mumbled.

Alan leaned in closer; about to press their lips together when rushed steps sounded and he looked up to see a doctor and a few nurses rush in with a stretcher. "He says he thinks it was a demon." He said as they lifted him onto the stretcher.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	10. Chapter 10

Will slowly began to come to. His eyes hurting as they opened to a brightly lit room, his vision blurry without his glasses on.  _'Where am I_ ?' he thought to himself. The sound of his heart monitor beeping more frequently as his heart rate jumped. He turned his head, trying to get a barring on what had happened, where he was, when his gaze fell upon the reaper sitting next to his bed. He could only make out the color of black and he began to panic.  _'Is that the demon_?'

"Help!" He tried hollering, but his voice was scratchy and weak, it came out more like a squeak.

He tried to scoot back, but his arm was set in a cast and he was hooked to several machines and an IV line. Disoriented, he could make none of it out. He did not remember coming through the portal or Ronald and Alan showing up at the site. He could only remember the blackness and then Grell's face. The blood that dripped from his lips, where they had been sewn shut. The blankness in his eyes.

"William! Will! Settle down or they'll sedate you." a calming, smooth voice found it's way to the man's ears, a pair of small, but male hands gently pressing down on his shoulders. "Shhh, its okay…"

"Alan?" Will exclaimed, barely audible. He reached out grabbing the brunet's hands.

"Please... say it-it's you?" He coughed.

Alan picked up his hand and held it gently, "Who else would I be? Grell hasn't woken yet, and even if he had I doubt I'm anything like him."

"I-I can't see. Please... if you really are my Alan...give me my glasses?" he requested, his voice starting to sound a bit stronger. Still it was hoarse. His heart was also, beginning to calm as well. The monitors beeping less frantically.

Alan sighed, "The frames were cracked—I had them sent to Anderson to get them repaired—here, maybe this will help?" Alan removed his own glasses and placed them on William's face. Their prescription wasn't the same, but he knew it'd be better than nothing. All reapers were extremely near-sighted and though all their prescriptions were different strengths, they were all the same type of prescription. "Better?"

Will nodded, though there was still a bit of blurriness, Alan's vision was not like his own. He could make out the brunet's face, his eyes sparkling back at him. "Thank you," he whispered, kissing the back of Alan's hand. "Can you see any...without them?"

"…Enough. I can't see farther than the door, but I can see you well enough." He smiled, "You had me worried…"

Will's expression turned to confusion. "How did I get here and based on what you said... Grell as well?" he inquired.

"You don't remember? Ronald and I found you. You scolded me for wanting to be your crutch and grab your scythe for you at the same time…then you scolded Ron for grabbing your scythe, Grell's scythe, and Grell all at the same time because it jostled Grell too much. You passed out after we got through the portal…"

"It was you...two that-that got us back here?" He blinked a few times, trying to remember them being there, but he could not. Shaking his head, "I am afraid... I just remember seeing Grell...lying there. Blinding light from...I do not remember where the light came from. Just Grell."

"It's okay. You're safe now, and that's what's important. You don't have to give your incident report right away, love."

"My arm... Why is it in a cast? It was just dislocated...wasn't it?" Will asked, looking down at the white cast, that ran from his hand to his shoulder. "This seems a bit over done...do you not agree?"

"It's broken." Alan shook his head, "Your shoulder was broken in three spots and your arm broken in two."

Will let out a long winded sigh. "Honestly."

He closed his eyes, hoping that when he opened them again, this would be some horrible dream. The attempt failed. Alan was still standing there looking down at him, he was still in a hospital bed and a cast on his arm. Not to mention the IV and the other contraptions he was hooked to.

"Is all this necessary?" he asked, looking up at the machines and his IV drip.

"Yes. Will…I don't know all the details, but you had high levels of demonic toxins in your system. That's the one thing they would tell me."

Will closed is eyes in annoyance. "Damn it! I knew it was a bloody demon!"

He opened his eyes and looked Alan straight in the eye. "Alan, I have never seen this kind of power in a demon before. What Grell and I experienced...it-it is indescribable. How can a demon blacken a room like that? It was like...like being in a black abyss. It was suffocating and..." His voice began to tremble as the memories swam through his mind. The feeling of not being able to escape. Several times he had nearly gone into a panic.

Alan shook his head, brushing Will's hair from his face, "…You…have also been out for a week, Will…well, nine days…"

Swallowing hard, Will said surprised, "Nine days?! Oh, no."

He closed his eyes. How could he have been out that long? "Who is running the Dispatch in my absence?"

"Eric…which of course means me; but officially it's him."

Will opened his eyes and began to struggle once more. "I have to get out of here...this instant. Call the bloody doctor. I want to be released. Now!"

"William." Alan gave him a stern, no-nonsense tone to match his look, "Eric and I have things handled in the office. Things are running smoothly and forcing your way out of bed early is not going to help."

"I am sorry. I just am not use to being stuck in a hospital bed. Thinking about it...I have never spent any time in the hospital. I usually go to the clinic and get checked out if I sustain injuries and return to work. I-I..." He looked around nervously, a small blush painted his cheeks. "I am terrified of needles and I don't like knowing there is one in my arm right now." he whispered, refusing to look down at his arm.

"I know, but it's necessary. Just don't think about it. That's how I deal with a lot of things here…"

"I do not know how you manage, being in here so often. I would go insane. I have to commend you for being so brave." Will softly replied.

"I have no choice..." Alan sat on the edge of the bed and lay down next to him, "I simply got used to it."

"Careful...d-do not j-jar the needle." Will stuttered, a tad paranoid over the IV in his arm. But the warmth of Alan's body next to his own, felt comforting. "How long have you been here? I know you have been to the office, but surely you haven't spent the rest of the time here with..." Will stopped, realizing something very important.

"Clover?! Nobody knows about him! Well you, but no one else," he exclaimed, almost panicked as he turned his head to look at the brunet.

"He's at my apartment. Don't worry. I only spend visiting hours after work here with you, then I go home to Clover. He misses you. And by the way, the IV needle doesn't stay in your arm. It's not there to jar."

"You are taking care of him?" he asked astonished. He hadn't expected that Alan would do that. No one had done anything remotely close to that for him before.

"Thank you." Will whispered.

"Of course I am—I wouldn't leave him alone and hungry in that big house of yours!"

Will's eyes began to water. "I appreciate that more than anything. If I had not told you about him...no one would know he had been there all alone. Anything could have happened to him."

"Shh. You needn't worry, it's not a problem. And—you're awake now."

Trying to take his mind of his dog, Will inquired about Grell further. "You said Grell hasn't awoken yet. Do you know anything about his condition? Were they able to remove the stitching easily, without to much damage?"

"I'm…not sure. They won't open his room to visitors, and I was lucky enough to learn anything about you…"

"Perhaps, if I call the doctor in here, since I am his supervisor...maybe then they will let me know?" Will swallowed hard. "I need to know. I need to know he will be alright. I was very ill manner towards him, just before...before that thing showed up. After what it did to him...the least I could do is apologize and try to be a friend to him."

Will searched Alan's eyes. "I was cruel and disrespectful. I was just so –  _so_  annoyed. I could have been decent. I could have handled the situation in a professional manner. And yet I chose to be cold-hearted and petty. Oh, Alan...I wronged him and that thing..."

"What do you mean?" Alan asked, lacing his fingers with William's for comfort.

"I called him a daft cow and I wanted to crush his neck with my bare hands. He was pressuring me for a date. Even after I told him I was committed to someone. Still, I should not have been so beneath myself." he explained, his thumb rubbing the back of the brunet's hand.

Alan snickered, trying to hold back a laugh until he failed and laughed, "I—I'm sorry, it's horrible because of what happened b-but…" he giggled, "No, you're right—but just…picturing you snapping and calling him that!"

Will glared at the brunet. "Yes... well now I feel down right despicable. I am his boss and I should have behaved as such. Instead...I lost my temper."

"You can't be perfect—no one can. Not even the angels in heaven; as much as they claim to be." Alan pointed out, still giggling.

Will stiffened. Alan's words began to pierce him. Perfect? Will wasn't trying to be perfect, just do things correctly. Follow the rules. Get the job done according to the text. While Grell did as he pleased, be damned the rest of them. Will always did what he was suppose to. Did everyone really believe he was a perfectionist? Of course no one really cared all that much for the redhead either, because Grell did as he pleased and was hardly punished for breaking the rules. But here was Will, who did the right thing and was branded as a perfectionist.

"Do you honestly think I am trying to be perfect, Alan?" Will asked with an edge of insult to his tone.

"I—I didn't mean it like that…" Alan said, his voice dropping, "I'm sorry…I was—I just…"

Squeezing the brunet's hand, Will met his gaze. "I am sorry. I did not mean to be churlish with you."

He brought Alan's hand to his lips. Sweetly and softly he kissed the back of it. Tenderly Will placed his palm against his warm cheek. His hand covering the brunet's. He closed his eyes memorizing the smaller reapers touch, the way his hand felt against his flesh.

"Still…I…I meant that anyone would have snapped at him a lot sooner. Yours just happened to coincide with a demon showing up…"

"I snapped at him at the clinic too." William looked away, a bit sheepishly. He took a deep breath. "I slammed him into the wall, when he was not decent. He was flirting with the doctor and then turned his flirting to me. I was tired and in pain. But I disregarded the fact he was injured and let my temper control me. That wasn't the first time either. There have been many incidents."

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but he wanted to be honest with the brunet. He wanted Alan to know he was not a romantic at heart. He was as the rumors said he was. Ruthless, cold, and indifferent. If Alan could care for him, beyond that it would be a miracle, but he could not lie to this reaper. No, that would be cruel. And then another doubt began to play with him. What if he lost his temper with Alan? Was that even possible? He would feel awful if he ever hurt him. His stomach twisted in knots at the thought.

"Grell tries to get a rise out of people… You aren't the only one he's succeeded with. Ever hear him complain afterwards? I never have…" Alan said slowly.

"That is no excuse. What if I turned my temper on you?" he replied bitterly. His eyes glued to the painting hanging on the wall. It was a picture of a vase with a large array of flowers in it. Shades of blue and purple. It reminded him of Alan.

Alan was quiet for a long moment, "You wouldn't, though…" he whispered, "I know you wouldn't…"

Refusing to look up at him, Will replied, "You are so sure about that?"

"I'm more worried you'd push me away in fear that you might hurt me…"

"Would you go?" It was too tempting of a notion, not to inquire and so William asked him.

"…Are you asking metaphorically, or…or are you telling me to?" Alan whispered, sitting up and looking down at him.

Will looked up at Alan. His heat breaking when he saw the look on the brunet's face. "I...I was merely..." He nodded looking away. "I suppose I do wonder if you would go, if I tried to push you away. However..."

Will faced him once more. He reached up and touched Alan's cheek. "That is not what I am trying to do. I did not mean to hurt your feelings, Alan."

The brunet leaned into his touch, closing his eyes, "Don't push me away…"

"Alan..." Will whispered. His hand slipped behind the brunet's head. Slowly, he drew Alan down to him, down, so their lips could meet. Tenderly, Will kissed him.

"When Grell wakes up…we can go talk to him—together." Alan suggested when their lips parted again.

"Shut up and kiss me." Will replied, pulling the brunet back down.

Alan gasped, blushing as he was pulled into a more heated kiss, his hand moving to cup William's cheek.

Will's tongue, pushed between Alan's lips, claiming his mouth as the kiss grew hotter. A hungry moan passed his lips as his fingers combed through the brunet's soft locks. Why did he have to be stuck in a hospital bed?

Alan moaned softly into the kiss, shifting carefully so that he didn't disrupt any of the equipment attached to his lover.

Breaking the kiss, Will whispered. "Why do I have to be hooked to so many things and stuck in this bed."

"Because you had to go play with demons." Alan chided the older reaper with a joking tone, "Didn't your mother ever tell you to stay away from kids like that?" He smiled and caressed his cheek.

Will gave perturbed look to the brunet. "Oh yes, I just had to play in a black hole with a demon, who proceeded to break my arm and nearly kill me and another. Why did I not heed my mother's warning?" he retorted, reaching behind the brunet to pinch Alan on the rump.

"Ahh!" Alan gasped with a blush, "Don't tell me you want to play with me that way while you are in the hospital bed!"

"No... You are completely right. This is a very inappropriate place to do such things. Besides which, someone could just walk in on us. The door, after all, is not locked." Will cleared his throat as he gave the brunet another little pinch.

"You're such a stickler for the rules…until you are no longer at the office." Alan teased.

"There is other things we could..." Will paused looking up as a knock sounded from the door and an older gentleman stuck his head inside. Will assumed this was the doctor assigned to his care.

"…Well this isn't something I expected to see…" the doctor commented.

Will blushed. He cleared his throat before he began to speak. "Good day." He nodded. "I take it you are the doctor assigned my care? And this is Mister Alan Humphries." Will indicated the brunet, in the bed with him.

"There is hardly a staff member in this building that does not know Mister Humphries." The doctor said, slipping in and closing the door behind him. "I meant I had not expected to find him in your bed."

Again, the doctor had William blushing. "Of course," he replied.

"Mister Humphries, could you kindly step out so that I may check him over as he's finally awake? Maybe tell a passing nurse so she can have a meal sent up for him."

"Of course." Alan nodded, getting up and moving out into the hall.

Will hated seeing the brunet leave, but before he could say a word, Alan was gone. His eyes stayed locked on the door for a minute, before they turned to the doctor. He blinked a few times as he adjusted to the new face in front of him. He was still wearing Alan's glasses and hoped the brunet would not need them while he was away. Will was grateful however, that he was still wearing them, since he was so blind without them.

"Before you check me over. I need to know about Sutcliff. I want to know everything. His condition, how long he will be out of commission, if you were able to fix what that vile creature did to him." Will, demanded, glaring at his doctor.

The doctor frowned and approached the bed, "I've been put in charge of you while you are here, Mister Spears. I'm not handling Mister Sutcliff. He's…a special case, and we have brought in a specialist from Russia to handle his case."

"Special case? I don't care. I want my questions answered first. You can send that specialist in here to talk to me. Then and only then will I permit you to continue. Understand?" he politely stated to the doctor, smiling.

"I'm afraid not. Doctor Antonoff is in with Mister Sutcliff now," he shook his head.

Will gritted his teeth. "Fine, but as soon as the doctor is free I want to speak with him. Grell has no family and I am his emergency contact and his boss. I need to be aware of his condition. And I won't accept any excuses do I make myself clear?"

"I don't take orders from my patients, Mister Spears. I give them. Now, can you sit up?"

Will glared at the doctor. "I am not giving you an order. I am demanding to speak to Grell's doctor and I will or I will get out of this bed and march down the hall to his room."

But Will quickly discovered, getting out of bed was going to be more difficult than he had anticipated. He couldn't even sit up. He knew it would be awkward with his arm in a cast, but he didn't expect the sharp pain that jolted down his back as he moved. He laid back down his face bore the discomfort and pain he was experiencing.

"So that's a no." The doctor jotted down a few notes, "Mister Sutcliff is not simply 'down the hall'. Even if you could get up from this bed you would not stumble across this room easily." He went on examining William, checking his pulse, "I can tell you he hasn't awoken yet."

"Would you care to explain what is wrong with me then? Why the hell it is so damn painful for me to move my body? I had no problem moving my right arm and lifting my head," he panted, nearly growling as he asked his questions, the pain intense.

"You were infected." He stated, writing more notes, "…With demonic energy. It likely caused hallucinations in you and Mister Sutcliff. We gave you a detox, but until it flushes it from your body completely you'll find movement painful."

"Yes, Alan mentioned we had been infected. But what does that mean for us? How long will I be bed ridden?" Will asked, pinching the bridge of his nose, hoping that would help alleviate the pain pulsating throughout his body.

"That all depends on how long your body takes to flush out the toxins. Being able to sit up would put you in a position where I could more accurately tell you about how long you will need to stay here."

Will let out a long winded sigh. "Alright, I am infected and I know my left arm his broken. Is there anything else wrong with me?"

"Nope. Now hold still. It's time for another detoxication injection," the doctor said, readying a needle.

Will looked at the doctor, then looked at the syringe. He started to look back up at the doctor when he realized what was in the doctors hand. His head jerked back to the syringe.

"Ugh... may I ask just what do you think you are going to do with that needle?" asked William. Sweat forming on his brow, the room beginning to swirl around him.

"That should be obvious."

"Please...say that...is going in-into...the IV?" Will inquired, his head swimming. He felt on the verge of passing out.

"Have a problem with needles?" the doctor sighed, walking over closer to William, injecting the detoxins into the IV tubes.

Will let out a large sigh of relief as he watched the doctor feed the IV line. He swallowed before speaking. "Yes. A matter of fact I do. I am not rather happy about having this in my arm as is. It is uncomfortable. However at least I was not awake as it was inserted into my arm." He motioned to the needle in his arm.

Looking up at the doctor, "Pardon me? But doctor... whoever you are. I need to use the restroom." Will indicated waving his hand over his lower regions, while his face turned a lovely shade of pink.

"Since you were unconscious for so long and it appears you are unable to move, now that you are awake, we inserted a catheter. You can just go as you please, without leaving the bed." The doctor replied, motioning back at Will.

"What do you mean you inserted a catheter?" Will asked, his eyes widening. He began to shake his head. "Please tell me you do not mean, what I think you mean?"

Not waiting for the doctors reply, Will slowly lifted the sheet and his hospital gown. Between his legs ran a tube, a tube that went all the way up and into his...

"NO! I do not want this in my...my..." Will tilted his head, his cheeks turning as red as a cherry. And then he remembered.  _'That is why it felt funny when I got excited kissing Al. Lucifer's spawn_!'

"Can we please remove this thing from my manly bits? It is rather uncomfortable." Complained Will as he let the sheet drop back over his lap.

"When you can move on your own enough to go use the toilet then we will remove it."

Will turned his face away. "How humiliating," he mumbled to himself.

"No one will know. You didn't even know." The man pointed out, "But it gives you reason to behave, relax, and heal up, doesn't it?"

"Behave?" Will echoed.

Will sat for a moment, realizing he was acting like a child and not very professional. Swallowing his pride, he turned his head and looked back at the doctor.

"I apologize. I am acting reprehensible. Please ignore my behavior. Now is there anything else we need to go over or I should be made aware of? Perhaps you might have an estimation as to how long I should be held up in here?" Will asked, calmly.

"Once you are able to sit up, I can estimate that it'd take you a week longer to be able to get up and walk around. At which time you may check yourself out but under orders to stick to your deskwork."

"So it is just a matter of time after I can sit up on my own. Alright. I can understand that. Thank you doctor... whoever you are." Will half smiled, finally relieving himself, a blush blooming on his cheeks.

"Oh, sorry, I guess I was distracted by you and mister Humphries, I'm Doctor Thompson."

"How very nice of you to finally introduce yourself. I rather like the idea of knowing the name of the person in charge of my care. Thank you." Will tilted his head in acknowledgement.

"I am sorry. I thought I had done so when I came in."

"Doctor I do not mean to sound rude, but is there anything else? Will asked coolly.

He shook his head, "You, for the most part, are perfectly fine."

Will popped his head back up. "I do have one question. What happens if I run into this particular demon again? What if it infects me once more?"

"I would not recommend it. But if you do, return here for treatment as soon as possible."

"Trust me I do not hope to cross paths with this particular demon again. What it was capable of... I have never come across one as such and I would like very much never to again." He nodded to the doctor. "However...if by chance another occurrence happens, I will indeed return post haste."

"Good. We would not want to loose anyone to a demon…in any way." doctor Thompson walked to the door, "I'll send Mister Humphries back in."

"Thank you. And again I am terribly sorry for my behavior." Will replied, with a tiny grin.

Alan returned moments later with a smile and a tray of food for William, "I seem to have forgotten my glasses on your face…"

"I am glad you left them on my face. They were immeasurable to me. However if you would like them back now. I do not mind returning them," he smiled. The smell of food making his stomach growl.

"What did you bring me? It smells delicious." Will inquired, as he rubbed his tummy.

"Chicken and potatos." Alan sat down and set the tray on his lap, "And milk."

"And what is for dessert?" Teased William.

"That depends on if you eat everything." Alan winked.

Chuckling, William picked up his knife."I am sure I will. I feel famished..." He looked down at his plate. His eyes wandering to his his fork. With his arm broken, he would not be able to cut into his chicken.

"I already cut it up into bite-sized pieces for you." Alan said, removing the lid to keep the heat in.

Will smiled kindly up at his lover. "Thank you. I appreciate that Alan. You did not have to. I am sure I would have eventually figured something out. But none the less, it is most appreciated."

"You're arm is broken. I'm fine taking care of you, Will." he smiled.

Clearing his throat. "Well again thank you." Will said.

Alan kissed his hair, "You don't have to. It's nice to take care of someone…for a change."

Will looked up, his eyes meeting Alan's. So much kindness dwelled in them. Will could get lost in them if he stared for to long. And he wouldn't mind if he did. To get lost in something so warm, would be welcoming. It had been to long since he had been desired and cared for. "I am sorry I did not ask you out sooner." He reached up and brushed the brunet's cheek with the back of his hand.

Alan blushed, "You had your reasons why you didn't."

"Still." Will whispered, urging the brunet down to kiss him.

"You have me now…you have me when you need me." Alan soothed, kissing him.

Will, closed his eyes savoring the feel of Alan's mouth pressed against his own. "I do, don't I." he concurred, his tongue pleading to take the kiss deeper.

"Yes," Alan smiled, "And it'll take far more than a crazy demon attack to scare me off, leaving you alone again. It's just not going to happen." He said, rubbing their noses together, "Now come on, eat up."

Brows furrowing, Will complained. "But I would much rather have dessert first. That is if your mouth is the dish."

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Either way, you need nutrition first. Come now," he plucked up the fork and stabbed a bite of meat, holding it out to William, "eat up."

"Fine." Will sighed, opening his mouth, accepting the morsel of food. Slowly he chewed the piece and swallowed. "Surprisingly that is rather good. I thought hospital food was suppose to taste terrible?"

"It does…but it's me." Alan gave a playful smirk, "I spend so much time here that they prepare me something a little better than the usual, and all I had to do was let them know I was here and they cooked you up something nicer as I requested,"

"So don't expect this for every meal. Especially the times you are not here by my side." Will teased, accepting another bite as Alan brought the fork to his mouth. "I appreciate your influence. I would hate, that my first meal in the hospital, taste dreadful," he remarked, swallowing the bite.

"Even so, maybe, now that you are awake, I'll bring you something even better when I come by after work tomorrow. Nothing home-made, mind you. I don't have the time right now…"

Will stopped for a moment, he frowned a notion forming in his mind. "Alan... please be careful. In the hundred years I have been a reaper, I have never come across demonic energy like that before. Grell and I are seasoned reapers. We have seen and been through a lot of strange things. But this incident was different. No formal training or archive could have prepared us for what happened in that home." His features softened as he took the brunet's hand in his own. "I do not want anything to happen to you."

Will brought Alan's hand to his lips. Tenderly, he pressed his lips to the back of it.

"You know more than anyone I hardly get field work…my attacks are so sporadic that it's just safer I stay in the office unless working with a partner. I believe that was your decision when the doctors sent you the report on my Thorns…" he smiled, "It lessons the chance of me encountering such a demon."

"True...but with Sutcliff and myself laid up, you may have to step up and take to filed operations more often. Please always have a partner. This creature is strong. Everyone needs to be on their guard." Will pressed, urgency lurking in his tone. He truly feared for his team and all the reapers that worked for his department.

"Will," Alan kissed his cheek, "Please don't stress yourself worrying. I'll even call you if I work overtime and can't come visit you, okay?"

Will squeezed the brunet's hand. "I think I will feel better when I know Sutcliff is awake and this creature has been dealt with. Until then I will not be able to rest my mind. Surely you can understand that Alan?"

"Yes, but I'm asking you not to stress over it. You'll heal faster if you don't stress, then you can be back in the office keeping a close eye on us."

"I will try very hard to stay calm and concentrate on healing. However, I cannot help, but worry from time to time. Not especially when I have you now." Will replied gently. "When I am released. How about another trip to the opera? And this time...an official date."

Alan smiled, "It's a date. But this time, I help pay."

"Alan." Will whispered.

"Hmm?" Alan leaned in closer to the older reaper.

"Kiss me." Will replied, touching the brunet's cheek.

Alan smiled and pressed their lips together, closing his eyes with a hum.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	11. Chapter 11

A week had passed and Will was just starting to be able to move more. He was growing restless stuck in the hospital bed. He missed his home, his dog and his music. He even missed the stressful atmosphere of the Dispatch. He was itching for fresh air and to visit Grell, who had yet to wake. He wanted to be healed and mobile. Being taken care of did not suit him. He hated being fretted about and everything done for him. It was nauseating to have to rely on others. Alright that was a lie, he enjoyed it when Alan was there taking care of him. He found the brunet's fussing to be rather endearing and helpful. But unfortunately the brunet could not be by his side twenty-four hours a day. Alan had work and responsibilities himself. He was also taking care of Clover and his home, while he remained in the hospital recouping. Will was grateful, but also felt embarrassed that he had to turn it over to his new lover. What a way to start out a new relationship, one that had just began to blossom.

Cursed fate.

"I want out of this bed. I need air. I have been stuck in it for two weeks. Grant you I was not awake for the first week, but I have been for the second and I am tired of being laid up. There has to be away to allow me to get out of it on occasion." Will grumbled at the nurse, who had once again denied his leaving the bed.

"It's not my call, sir." The nurse said as she changed his sheets, "Talk to your doctor next time he checks on you."

"I would think it would be easier on you and the rest, if I was removed from the bed each time you had to change the linens." Will pointed out as he was flipped back onto his back. "Perhaps you can find my doctor and send him this way. I would very much like to talk to him about me being able to at least sit in a chair."

"Then I wouldn't get my daily dose of seeing your cute tush." The nurse teased, "Here, he's starting you on these pills instead of the injections of detoxins. Since you don't do so well with needles. These work slower, but you may prefer them.

Will blushed at her statement. Carefully he took the paper cup from her hand and looked down at the two pills in it. He sat the cup on the table as she pushed it back across his lap and poured him a cup of water. "Yes I am sure these will be much better. I despise needles. And despite most of them being injected directly into the IV line, this way saves me having to look at them," he smiled.

She nodded, "Oh! Also Mister Humphries called…he's working overtime today."

"That is to be expected I suppose." Will replied, saddened by the bit of information.

She nodded, "Has some last-minute additions to the reap list to take care of…or something."

"I hope he will be alright and please...would you ask the doctor to see me. I really would like to visit Grell. Even if he is not awake. I want to check on him and possibly talk to his doctor." Will made the gesture of being nice, hoping the nurse would do as he requested. quickly he popped the pills in his mouth and with a gulp of water swallowed them.

"I…will see what I can do." She nodded, finishing up her chores in his room and moving to the door.

Will nodded in acknowledgement. He watched her stride out the door, then turned his face towards the window. The sky had darkened and it looked as though the heavens would burst at any moment. His mind wandered to the brunet. "Be careful Alan," he murmured.

* * *

 

Thunder cracked overhead as Alan hurried through the streets of London, scythe in hand. He wanted to finish up the reaps and get back in time where he could still go see William, though it had been a long, stressful day, and he could practically feel the bags under his eyes.

He turned down an alley as the rain touched down, and he slipped in the back door of a home where a Roger Miller would be dying shortly. He wasn't supposed to be working the field alone, but he'd had no choice. They were spread too thin that evening.

Little did Alan know, but a shadow was close behind him. "What have we here?" She puzzled over the brunet as he entered the home of the dying candlestick maker. Quietly and stealthily the demoness scurried up the wall to the window of the man's bedroom, carefully she squeezed through the tiny crack. She hated having to shift into such odd shapes and forms. But she had recognized the small reaper, the night he accompanied the blond, the night she had played with the redhead and that annoying dark-haired one. She recalled their names William and Grell. Yes that had been the two she had toyed with. It had been rather fun, but then the brunet and the blond had showed up and she released the two reapers that had taken her mate from her.

She had smelt the air change when the brunet stepped into the room that night and she was curious as to why. And then the interaction between William and what was his name. That unfortunately she could not remember. Only that William's scent had changed when he laid eyes on the brunet. Mates? She had wondered. So to her surprise the little one had showed up here before her. She could observe, watch him. She would not touch him... yet. She wanted to be sure it would be worth her while first.

Alan walked silently through the small shop to the private rooms up a spiral staircase, and came upon the old man, sitting at a table, running over his sales log, from the looks of it. He was old, but sickness had not taken to him, and the death list had not listed a cause of death. So, Alan waited unseen in the corner of the room.

The shadow tilted her head as she peered over at the brunet. She perfected the craft of hiding her scent. He would never smell her – that was unless she wished him to. Why was he hiding in the corner? If a reaper was here than surely this man was scheduled to death. So why was he not reaping the old man's soul? Perhaps he was early. Either how she would watch, perhaps have a snack while she was here. She melted down from the shadow on the wall to the one on the floor, slithering over to the man's shadow. His silhouette outlined on the floor. She touched his shadow, petting his dark form's head.

Alan sighed, checking his watch, and then his list, frowning. The man should be dead already… he straightened up and walked over, looking at the man closer, masking himself from mortal sight still.

The shadow smiled ruefully as the brunet approached. Her fangs grew as her fingers wrapped themselves around his wrinkled neck. In a blink of an eye she pierced his silhouette's throat, red blood began to pour from his throat as two wounds appeared just below his Adam's apple. The man screamed out in pain, but they quickly became gurgles as blood bubbled out of his mouth. His shirt once pristine white was now dyed red, but his agony had just begun. Her black hand reached to his black chest and tore open the flesh of his paling body. Her finger writhed inside his chest cavity thrumming his still beating heart.

Panic and fear washed over his eyes, his body growing cold as it went into shock. His pores began to bleed out. After a few seconds his heart stopped as one long, black nail stabbed it, slicing it open. Pulling her dripping finger from his dead organ, she licked the meat from its tip.

Alan had gasped, stumbling back until his back hit the wall, startled over the sudden bloodbath overtaking the kind-hearted old man. Not seeing the demoness, he swallowed and slowly drew closer, lifting his scythe to collect the man's soul. His face was white, and he felt a little light-headed as he brought the blade down into the man's body, releasing his reels and shakingly taking notes on his death.

The shadow slithered back as she watched the reaper re-approach the bloodied body. Had he looked past the corpse, Alan would have noticed the drops of blood trailing across the floor as the demoness vanished into the shadow on the wall. She would wait however, before vacating the home. She rather enjoyed watching his horrified expression when the blood began to flow. Internally she laughed wickedly, licking the rest of her blood soaked, black fingers.

"Sweet Mother Rhea…what happened?" Alan gasped as the reels came to an end and he found nothing that caused the display. His mind wandered back to William and Grell; what William had reported once he awoke and could be questioned officially. "William…I don't think it's over…"

* * *

 

Nightfall had descended on the realm and the storm had started a light show. Every so often he flinched as lightning streaked across the darkened sky, followed by a heart stopping crash of thunder. William was chilled, though warm blankets has been placed across his lap. He felt uneasy and he just wanted to know Alan was alright. Something nagged at the back of his head and dread seemed his only companion. No one had visited today. He wanted to touch his lover, wanted to know he was safe.

A knock sounded at the door and Ronald poked his head in, "Hey, Boss?"

Will turned his head when he heard the rapping at his door, hoping it was the brunet, only to have his hopes dashed by the enthused young reaper. William let out a sigh.

"Mister Knox. What brings you here?" he inquired, tilting his head in greeting.

"Work, to be honest…Eric sent me… Something happened this evening that we can't explain…"

Will's blood ran cold, his eyes widened with fear. "Is Alan alright? Tell me nothing has happened to him."

"…How did you know it was Alan-senpai?" Ron asked.

"Is he...?" Will paled, he wanted nothing more than to jump out of that chair and find the brunet. He narrowed his gaze onto the blond. "Knox, tell me... is Mister Humphries alright?"

"He's fine—came back white as a sheet, though. He's quite shaken…Apparently he witnessed the man on his list die…the man died alone—but violently. Like, we looked over his reels again and blood just started shooting out of the poor guy with no real reason!"

"What do you mean blood just started to..." Will paused a thought coming to mind. "Did Alan sense a demon?" He asked unnerved by what the blond had said. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat as another loud rumble of thunder shook the hospital window.

"No, not at all." He shook his head, "It almost gave him an attack, though… he was on the verge of one when he got back. Eric sat down with him to calm him like he always does."

Will breathed a sigh of relief. "I am glad to hear he was unharmed. Now would you care to tell me exactly what happened?" Will prodded wanting to know exactly what happened. He had a gut feeling it was the demon that had hurt him and nearly killed Grell.

"Here's the official report…" Ron said holding out a file, "We know Eric's filling in for ya, but he thought it's something you need to know sooner rather than later."

Accepting them, Will laid the folder in his lap and began to thumb through them. He was appalled and disgusted by what he read. He looked up at the blond, his eyes round with shock and disbelief.

"The man bled from his pores? His chest cavity was ripped open and yet nothing touched him?" Will cleared his throat. His stoic mask was slipping. Quickly he pulled it back into place. "I am afraid none of this makes any sense. Is Mister Humphries sure he saw no one or nothing in that room? Any strange sounds or smells?"

"He says he is sure he saw nothing, but the trauma really got to him and he started second-guessing…he's even offering his own reels be released enough to show his own account of what happened, but Eric won't have it."

William's eyes widened at the mention that Alan wanted to release his reels. "No. He absolutely is not allowed to release his records. His initial report will suffice. I am sure it was the same demon that attacked Grell and I. And I will not risk aggravating his thorns for clarification. It is far to risky."

He looked back down at the report before addressing the blond once more. "Tell Slingby to make sure all reapers, in the field, are in pairs or trios from this point on. And if a team does not return within thirty minutes, after departing for their assignments... another team is to immediately investigate. I know it will stretch Dispatch even more, but I don't want others to fall victim. In addition... if anyone sees, smells, feels anything out of the ordinary... they are to abandon the assignment and report back to Dispatch...immediately."

"Yes, sir." Ronald nodded, "Any other messages for me to take back with me?"

William contemplated a moment, wondering if he should send a message back with the blond for Alan, but was afraid the message would get lost or someone would read the message and become aware of his and Alan's personal relationship.

"No Mister Knox. I think that will be enough. However... let Mister Slingby know, that if he needs further instruction or has any questions he may contact me." He informed the blond, before closing the report and handing it back to him.

"Ei-ei, sir!" The youth saluted the older and smiled, "Hope ta see ya back at the office soon. The place feels empty without ya."

"I plan to Mister Knox, I plan to." Replied Will, with a half grin.

The blond grinned back, "Maybe Eric and I can take ya out to the pub before you return, eh? Alan said he got you to be social a bit…we can loosen you up a bit more."

Surprised, Will blushed. "Perhaps. We shall have to wait and see. But if I can... I will try and join you."

"Great!" Ronald waved, "See ya, Senpai!"

"Good evening Mister Knox." Will tilted his head in farewell.

* * *

 

Alan sighed and buried his face in his hands, still feeling light-headed from his experience with the candle maker. He sat, racking his mind for any clue as to what had happened.

He shook and stood up, trying to walk out the trembling from his legs, leaving his office and walking down the nearly empty halls.

"Oh! Pardon me." A soft voice rang out as a lovely raven-haired reaper nearly collided with the shaken brunet.

She was tall with an hour glass figure. Her cheeks were rosy and her lips stained red. Her hair was pulled up in a loose bun with strands cascading down her back. She wore a tight black pencil skirt with olive green high heels, black thorns running across them. Her nylons were nude with a matching thorn pattern running up her legs. White lacy cuffs snuck out from her black blazer, draping over her standard issue black gloves. Onyx buttons clasped her blouse together and she wore a simple, matching olive green, silk scarf around her neck. It was pinned to her collar with a broach, shaped like a rose. The stones were dark garnet, nearly black and the green stem of emeralds was covered in black thorns, made from black diamonds. The glasses she wore were also olive green, with the matching thorn pattern wrapping around the temples of the glasses, disappearing behind her ears. Her voice was sweet, bewitching and gentle. She stood, blinking with wide eyes as she stared at the older reaper before her.

"No—no, my fault, miss..? I'm sorry, I don't think we have met, I'm Officer Alan Humphries." He politely introduced himself, never one to let anything stop him from being a gentleman.

"Nice to meet you Mister Humphries. My name is Lily Megaera Downs. I am afraid I am rather new here and quite lost." She smiled a bit timidly as she turned her head to peer down the hall both ways.

"Can I help you with anything? I…had a rough day in the field and could use the distraction." He offered with a smile.

"How kind of you, but I couldn't possibly bother you." She replied, blushing, her cheeks turning a shade darker than normal.

"Not at all. Like I said, I could use the break from work. Come, Miss Downs." Alan offered his arm.

"Are you sure?" She asked, linking her arm with his, "I was suppose to report to the head Supervisor's office, but I was told he was unavailable. So I am not sure who exactly, I am suppose to report to, now." She explained, sounding a bit nervous as she glanced up at the brunet next to her.

"William Spears is out on medical leave. Eric Slingby is the man filling in for him…but I believe he's out on an investigation. Grell Sutcliff's on leave as well, so that actually leaves you with me until Eric gets back…though I wouldn't know exactly everything you may need to know."

"How fortunate then that I bumped into you." Again she smiled timidly, her cheeks reddening brighter. Delicately she cleared her throat, "I am a bit parched, would you mind showing me, where I might get something to quench my thirst."

"Of course. The break room is this way." He turned them down another hall and opened the door for her, "We always have tea and coffee both at the ready, here, and of course there is water."

"Tea sounds delightful. Especially on a day like today. The weather is quite frightful." Lily frowned as she shivered from the thought. "I had no idea things were going to occur the way they did and I foolishly left my raincoat and umbrella at home. I am usually more level headed than this. But it was my first day and I am afraid I have to admit... my nerves got the better of me."

"Where do you live? I may be able to share my umbrella at least as far as your door." The brunet offered.

Lily smiled once more at the brunet and gracefully declined his offer. "I am sure you would not be heading my way. I appreciate the offer though. Perhaps the rain will let up soon...at least long enough for me to make it home."

"Are you sure, Miss? No one should be stuck out there in such weather, and my umbrella is large enough for two."

She shook her head, "I couldn't possibly inconvenience you, but since you are so kind to offer. Which direction do you live? If you are going my way then I will gladly take you up on your offer."

"I live in the West-side apartment complex." He said, gesturing in the general direction.

"How fortuitous. I just moved in there last week." She replied surprised. "Now tell me which cabinet stores the cups?" Fluidly, Lilly glided up to the counter and looked over her shoulder waiting for the brunet to direct her.

"The one above the sink. Makes doing dishes easier that way." He smiled, "And it's settled. I'll walk you to your door to ensure you won't get yourself drenched in this weather." He opened the cupboard and got out two glasses, pouring tea into each of them, "How do you take your tea?" he asked, setting the pot aside.

"A tea spoon of Honey. Sweetens it up a bit." She replied demurely.

Alan nodded and added the honey, handing it to her and preparing his own with milk and honey. He then pulled out a seat for her and after she took it, he sat down at the same table, "So what department are you working? And where are you transferring in from? You aren't from the academy as the current students there do not graduate for a while yet."

"Well I am not exactly sure what I am suppose to be doing here. I was reassigned. I graduated last graduation and was apparently placed in the wrong department. I have been sort of in limbo, while the higher-ups worked on where I was suppose to go." She took a sip of her tea. "I am afraid bad luck tends to follow me. I am forgotten most of the time. For the past couple of months I have just been sorting things in the library. While my academic records were sorted out and then a couple of days ago... I was told to report to the Dispatch and Mister Spears for reassignment."

"Strange…that kind of thing never happens…organization is key in any and every department. I wonder why it happened to you…someone must have really messed up." Alan sighed, "Well, I'm sure it'll get all sorted out for you."

"I hope so. It has been very stressful and frankly, I would like to settle in and not be moved around anymore." She sighed, softly, sipping her tea. "May I ask what you do here Mister Humphries? Are you by chance a field officer?"

"Technically." Alan nodded, "But I don't go out in the field much compared to my co-workers. I'm not in the best of health, so I'm only sent out when they absolutely need me to take care of something. We're short on staff so it happens more than my doctor would like." He said, matter-of-factly. There was no hiding his condition. She'd find out anyway working there. "I mostly handle the overflow of paperwork."

"Oh, I am terribly sorry to hear that, Sir." Embarrassed, Lily lowered her gaze. Looking down into her cup, she began to tap her fingers on the porcelain.

"It is simply a fact." Alan shrugged, "I came to terms with it long ago, and you'll learn it quite quickly while working with out department. It's no secret."

Slowly, the young reaper lifted her head and looked back across at the brunet. "Still I feel bad for bringing up such a painful subject. I am sorry."

Smiling she decided to change the subject, "Tell me how long have you been a reaper? I assume you were a created reaper, like the majority of us. "She inquired, taking another sip of tea.

"I've been a reaper for almost fifty years. I died freezing to death one winter when I was twenty. And…yourself?"

"My! Nothing so violent! Well I suppose some would not consider that as violent, but I do. I was just turned twenty one, five years ago, when I was riding my horse through the forest near my home and something spooked her I was flung from her. I don't remember how I exactly passed. I can only remember staring up at the sun through the trees and then everything was black. When next I woke, I was here with little to no memory." Regaled the young reaper, somberly. "I miss my parents. I recall them vividly."

Alan nodded, "If it were me, being thrown from a horse is more violent from shivering to death in my sleep." He smiled and sipped his tea, "But both are better than a lot of deaths I have witnessed. We were both lucky."

She smiled, "I suppose you are right, but mine happened so fast. I didn't feel anything. I would think freezing would have woken me up and caused a panic."

"The cold more lulled me into exhaustion and I was sleeping when I passed."

"Well at least you did not suffer." Lily finished off the last sip of her tea. Glancing at the clock that hung over the door. The time caught her eye, it was half past six. "Dear me! I was not aware the hour had grown so late. I really should be heading home. As much as I would love you to escort me. If you must stay... I will be fine on my own. But I am afraid I am growing rather hungry and I truly hate eating late."

"No, please, I'll walk you back. I can take some work home with me. Just let me grab a few files and my umbrella." He said, finishing his tea and standing up. "I have a puppy that likely needs to go for a walk, anyway."

"You have a dog?" She asked, her curiosity peeked as she pushed her chair back and stood. "Allow me." She picked up the two mugs and carried them to the sink rinsing them out and placing them with the rest of the dirty mugs to be washed later.

"…No…but I'm watching him for William while he's in the infirmary."

"Oh, Mister Spears has a dog! How kind of you to watch him, while his master is away. What kind of dog is he? I love dogs." She asked as they walked out of the break room back into the hallway.

"A Border Collie. Best beware of him. Clover is overly friendly and all who he sees is in danger of puppy-kisses." Alan grinned.

Lily gave a tiny chuckle, "He sounds adorable. I would love to meet him... sometime."

"Maybe." Alan shrugged, "I'll be right back." He hurried back to his office, pulled on his jacket, grabbed his umbrella and a few files of paperwork he had yet to finish, and returned to the break room. "Alright, lets go."

"Alright." She replied taking his arm once more as they headed for the lifts.

A half hour walk later, Alan and Lily walked into the apartment complex, "Which building are you in?"

Lily glanced over the layout of the complex as they stepped inside the gate. "I am in the one in the... " With a high pitched scream, her heel slipped on the slick, uneven walkway.

"Whoa, watch it—oof!" Alan tried catching her, but was thrown off balance himself and he found himself splashing down in a puddle with her.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked over at the older reaper by her side. "I am so sorry." She cried. Her knee beginning to throb as tears fell from her eyes, splashing in the puddle below her.

"No, don't be—are you okay?" He pushed himself up and held out his hand to help her. "Come on, lets get you cleaned up and dry."

Lily reached up and took his hand, but as she tried to stand her knee gave out. She fell back onto her knees, back into the puddle. "Aw... Oww..." she screamed in pain. Her head hanging as she used her arms to hold herself up. Blood started to seep out through her nylon, mixing in the rain water, turning the puddle red.

"…here, hold these for me." Alan handed her his files and now-bent umbrella. He then scooped her into his arms with a small grunt, making his way to his own apartment on the first floor of building five.

Clutching the items in one hand, the other wrapped around Alan's neck. Lily held on as tight as she could. She closed her eyes from the pain as the movement from the brunet's stride, jostled her injured leg. Her nylons now stained red, torn and running, revealing the gash on her creamy, white flesh.

"Alan, it hurts real bad." She told him as they neared his apartment.

"Don't worry…here, my keys are in my jacket pocket, can you open the door? I'll get you cleaned up."

Wincing, "Yes... yes I believe I can." Lily replied, reaching into his pocket carefully. "I... I... got it!" Fumbling a bit, she found the right key and inserted it into the lock.

"Good." Alan pushed open the door and set her down on the couch before hurrying to the bathroom for the first aid kit.

Lily sat on the sofa and glanced around the quaint little room. It was small, but most would find it cozy. The sound of nails ticking on the wooden floor had her turning to face the approaching sound of William's dog.

Clover bounded up, curious as to who the new scent was in the apartment. It was a strange scent, but not unpleasant. In his mind it smelled like a nice being. He stopped suddenly when he saw the young lady on the couch. She looked normal, she smelled nice, but something felt off to the dog. Cautiously he walked up to her. He gave a soft bark to greet her. Her eyes – they flickered. They weren't like her masters or his friend. He whined, afraid and unsure.

"Now don't you look at me like that. I am not here to hurt you, but if you get in my way I won't be above it. Come here... Clover." She cooed as she reached out a hand to the young dog.

Bewitched, Clover walked up to her and laid his head in her lap.

"Okay, I don't have anything for the pain, but I have things to clean the cut…" Alan said, returning

Lilly looked up at the brunet, her brows furrowed in pain. She sat petting Clover on the top of his head., trying to alleviate her discomfort. "I am sure I will be okay... and... and I have been in worse pain. But I think I twisted it."

"Do I have permission to help, or would you like to bandage it yourself, miss?" he asked, sitting down next to her.

"You have permission. I think you will just have to finish ripping my nylons off. They are ruined anyways." She nodded. "Mister Spears' dog is very sweet."

Alan nodded and knelt down to see to her cut, "He seems calmer around you than he did when he met me. He rarely meets new people—this may sting." He warmed, starting to clean the cut.

"Perhaps...sss... it is because I am female?" She questioned, hissing as he touched her cut with the wash cloth he was using to clean the the blood and dirt from her wound.

"Or that you are hurt from that fall…So much for trying to stay dry, hmm?" he joked lightly as he worked, "And you survived. That's more than I can say for my Umbrella."

"Drats and after it worked so hard to keep us... ow... dry." She laughed, cringing a bit. "I am terribly sad to have ruined my favorite pair of nylons though. At least my heels didn't break. I just bought them." She watched as Alan ripped them further down her leg, exposing more of her silky long limb. How gentle he was, trying not to hurt her. She looked at the gash. It was deeper than she had planned, but all the better. No one could accuse her of faking such a wound. "You don't think that is going to need stitches do you?" Lily asked nervously.

"I won't know until it's clean…it might, though." He said, apology in his voice, "If so, I can do them…I've done it many times before." He finished cleaning the gash and examined it, "most of it is shallow enough to go without, but there was a bit of stone in the center where it gets deeper…I'd like to stitch it up just in case."

"But you said you had nothing for the pain? You don't expect me to sit here and grin and bare it? Oh, Hades! I... I... " Panic started to arise in Lily's voice as she started to squirm where she sat, wincing periodically as a jolt of pain ran up and down her leg.

"I am sorry…I don't keep painkillers on hand because I am unable to use them. It's another fifteen minute walk to the infirmary, and—not to insult you or anything, but I don't think I could carry you that whole way."

Lily bit her lip and looked around wide eyed. "Liquor? Do you have any strong liquor? It doesn't take much. I... I... don't drink often enough. It would knock me out and then you could stitch and set my leg and bandage me and I would be none the wiser." She was on the verge of hyperventilating.

"I don't drink…when I do it's wine…and I think I finished the last bottle I bought that night…" he paused to think, "But Eric and Ronald sometimes stashes scotch and whisky here…I can look to see if they have done so recently…"

"Oh, please... please do." She pleaded as she clutched the broach at her throat.

"Do you fear needles?" Alan asked, disappearing into the kitchenette area and ducking down to search his lower cabinets.

"Honestly. I don't know. I haven't been around enough to say yea or nay." Lily replied, looking down at the wound that was oozing blood once more. "Should we take my nylons all the way off?"

"If you wish it. They are stained and ripped…I don't think those kind of things can be repaired…but I'm not familiar with feminine items such as that—ah, I found some scotch…not much, though…barely a shot."

"I'll take it and yes they are ruined. Once you rip them apart as we did, you cannot sew them back together. I'll need your help to get them completely off." She hollered over her shoulder.

Alan nearly dropped the bottle, his cheeks flushing a bright red, "Wh-what? Why would you—can't you remove it yourself, Miss?" he stumbled over his words, clearly flustered by the idea.

"Normally yes, I would be able to by myself... but my knee, remember? I can't stand up to pull them off. Please... Mister Humphries?" She pleaded, hoping he would understand. After all this was an emergency. No reason to be uncomfortable.

The brunet sighed, "Very well…" he poured the scotch into a glass and handed it to her before moving to remove her nylons, keeping his touch clinical.

Lily sat the glass down on the table. "Here." She rolled to one side hiking her skirt up, hissing in pain briefly. Thus giving him access to and enabling him to reach under her skirt, so he could pull them off as she rolled to the other side once he had them over her hip. "Careful," she said gritting her teeth.

Alan was obviously uncomfortable with the task, cheeks still flushed as he pulled them down and off her legs completely.

Panting in pain, Lily looked down at the brunet. "That...wasn't so... bad... was it?" She reached over and grabbed the glass of the table. "Cheers!" She tipped the glass back quickly drinking every drop. Her face told how nasty the drink was as she stuck her tongue out and squeezed her eyes shut.

"I'm not used to such things." Alan said, tossing them in the bin and standing up to ready the needle and thread in his kit, "Tell me when you are ready."

"Well I am not use to a man undressing me either." She replied, blushing herself. Watching the brunet prep the needle. "I just don't want to feel anything." She began to cry.

"I'm pretty gentle." Alan said, turning to look at her, "Though the last person I stitched up passed out at the sight of the needle."

"Well being my system is not use to alcohol...in addition I have not eaten all day...I am hoping, I too, will pass out." She swallowed, staring at the needle. "I do not relish the idea of..of having that pierce my skin."

"It won't leave scarring…" Alan reassured her, "and it'll only take maybe a day or two to heal."

Starting to feel drowsy, her eyes began to flutter slightly. "I believe you, I assure you, but I don't have a high tolerance for pain."

Alan nodded and waited until she seemed to be out enough to get to work, stitching her up quickly and cleanly. He then cleaned everything up and realizing he didn't know which apartment was hers; he picked her up, moving her into his bedroom, laying her down on the bed and tucking her in before grabbing a spare pillow and blanket to settle himself on the couch—after taking Clover out to stretch his legs and go to the bathroom.

Lily barely felt anything as the needle passed through her skin, nor did she feel herself being carried to the bedroom. When she woke early the next morning. She started, not recognizing where she was. She found herself laying in a warm, soft bed. A duvet cover bundled around her and soft cool pillows under her head. She looked at the chair next to the bed as her gaze wandered around the room. On it were her broach, scarf, gloves and blazer.

"Where am... Oh now I remember." she mumbled pushing herself up. But a sharp pain shot up her leg as she twisted into a sitting position. Cringing she grabbed at her head, she had a small headache and the room began to spin. "Ugh..." she groaned, deciding to lay back down.

Alan was fast asleep on the sofa, Clover sleeping on his legs, curled into a ball. He wanted to stay close to Alan…protect him from the strange lady.

* * *

**To be continued....**


	12. Chapter 12

William lay staring out the window. Dawn had broke to a beautiful morning. The storm had passed over night, but Will had barely gotten any sleep. Alan never showed and that worried him. His mind had played out various scenarios; from working late, to having an attack due to the horrific incident the day before. Nightmares had plagued his sleep whenever he got any. He felt drained and tired, and was desperate to know if the smaller reaper was alright.

No longer able to take it, Will picked up the phone next to his bed and dialed Alan's apartment, hoping he would be there and answer. He knew it was early, but he just had to hear the brunet's voice, know that he was safe.

The sound of the phone ringing startled Alan from his sleep, and he fell from the couch. Groaning, he pulled himself up and grabbed the phone, "Hello?" he asked, sleepily.

"Alan? Did I wake you?" Will asked a bit embarrassed to be calling and disturbing the brunet. He did not know why he asked such asinine question... of course Alan was still asleep, he could hear it in the brunet's voice. He had indeed woke him.

"Y-yeah, no, sorry…did I over-sleep? What time is it?" he paused, "How are you feeling, William?"

"I am fine. And it is early. I-I just had to make sure you were okay. You did not visit last night and after what Mister Knox reported... well I am glad to know you are safe." Will replied, breathing a sigh of relief. The sound of the brunet's voice calming his anxious mind.

"I'm sorry, I was working late…and a young new employee got hurt so I helped her. I didn't have time to visit you."

"I understand." Will paused a moment when he realized what the brunet said. "New employee?"

"Yeah, transferring over from the library…" Alan sat down on the couch, "She was looking for your office to meet with you about it…" he yawned.

Will rubbed his temples. "I was not aware we were getting a transfer. The highers must have sent word while I have been away. The papers would have been drawn before I had my little accident. Do you know where she was being placed?"

"Not exactly." He shook his head, laying back down, "My guess would be book-keeping or secretarial…"

"What makes you say that and did you say she was injured? On the job?" Will inquired, removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"She was working in the Library before. It makes sense. And no, on the walk home. She lives in the same complex as I, and she didn't have an Umbrella, so I offered to walk her home. She slipped and fell, cut her leg pretty badly."

"That was kind of you. Will you be checking on her this morning? Making sure she gets to work alright?" Will asked placing his glasses back on. "May I ask what the young ladies name is? And perchance give her my apologies... for not being there to welcome her."

"Miss Lily Downs. And of course. She slept here last night so I shall do so for you when she awakens." Alan yawned again, "I'm thinking of coming to see you before my shift…would you like anything for breakfast?"

"That is a rather lovely... She slept there? On your couch? Alan I am confused. I thought you said she lived in your complex? Why is she at your apartment?" Will rattled out the questions, surprised and completely unprepared by what Alan told him. Why had she slept there? If she had her own apartment, wouldn't it have been wiser to let her rest in her own bed. Not on some strangers couch.

"Of course not! I gave her my bed and I slept on the couch. She passed out before I stitched up her leg, and I don't know which apartment is hers, exactly."

Will's eyes widened. "She is there now? In your apartment? In your bed?"

"Yeah." Alan hugged his pillow to him, closing his eyes, "She's asleep, still…as far as I know…Phone might've awoken her, as well…she hasn't come out, though…"

Taking a deep breath, William continued, "Alan... How badly was her leg injured? Perhaps she cannot get out of your bed or walk. You need to check on her. Make sure the young lady is taken care of first. Then if you have time. I would love breakfast and your company."

"It needed four stitches…and I will…but you did wake me up. I didn't have a chance to do much else than fall out of my dreams…And don't you worry…I'll be over in maybe an hour-hour and a half with something for you to eat…"

Clover gave a small bark, and Alan smiled, "Clover misses you."

"I miss him too. Then I will see you when you get here." Will replied as he slowly hung up the phone. "A new employee?" muttered Will as he looked back out the window.

Alan sighed and hung up, lingering on the couch a moment, "…I don't want to go to work today, Clover…" he sighed before pushing himself up again, "Breakfast first? Or shower?" he looked down at the dog who tilted his head, "Shower. That way Miss Lily can use it while I cook." He said, heading to the bathroom.

Lily heard the phone ring and lay listening to the conversation. Despite it taking place in the other room, her hearing was exceptionally good and she could make out everything clearly. Grant that she could not hear the other end of the conversation, but every syllable the brunet uttered, she heard as though he was standing in the room with her. A thought formed in her mind, lovers? Mister Spears and Mister Humphries? Yes, it was in his voice, she could hear it. Her original assumption proven? Maybe.

The shower. She heard the water start. Strange he did not check on her first. He must have assumed she was still asleep and since it appeared his washroom was not attached to his bedroom, he had no need of entering it. Yet. The pain in Lily's leg began to throb more violently. Yes, she had fallen on purpose. Yes, she had intended to get hurt. Regretfully, she had not meant to injure herself to this extent. Cutting open her leg and twisting her knee was convenient, but she did not relish being laid up and unable to spy on the brunet all day. She wasn't as helpless as she played it up to be, but the pain was real and it was all the easier to make Alan believe that she was. She would need rest, time for her leg to heal; and now that she had told Alan she lived in his apartment complex, she would need to vacate one, claiming it for herself.

Alan finished his shower, stepping out and drying off, tending to his hair and teeth before pulling back on his pajama bottoms and going to knock on his bedroom door, "Miss Lily? Are you awake?"

Lily turned her face to the door. "Yes Sir. I am. You are welcome to enter." She replied as she very carefully pushed her self up in the bed and into a sitting position. Her face contorting in pain as she moved.

Alan pushed open the door and stepped in, "How's your leg feeling?" he asked, moving to the closet and pulling out a fresh suit, "Not in too much pain…is it?

"Actually it is. It hurts real bad to move it." She replied watching him as he moved through the room. "I need to use the restroom, but I don't think I can walk on it." She added as she threw back the covers.

"Ah…Do…you think you can make it on your own? Is there anyone who could help you until it heals? A female friend, that is?" he asked, moving over to look at the cut, "…It doesn't look infected…"

She shook her head. "No. I haven't made any friends so to speak of yet. And you are the first person in the complex I have met. I don't think the pain is coming from the cut. My whole leg hurts to move it." She looked up meeting his eyes.

"I could take you to the infirmary…" he offered, "I'll go across to my neighbor, she can help you with bathroom things. She should be up by now…"

"Thank you and I don't think I need the infirmary. Most likely just a day of rest and it should be right as rain. And please don't bother her. If you could just help me hobble to the bathroom. I think I can handle the rest." She blushed and bit her bottom lip. "Do you have a tub or a shower? Or is yours a combo. I really don't know if everyone's apartment is the same inside or not."

"Yes, of course…but—please, if you need help cover yourself, before calling for me." he asked, helping her up.

She looked up at him as she carefully swung her legs over the edge, wincing as she took his hands and stood up. She nearly fell back, if not for the brunet's hand around her waist, the pain radiating down her leg. "You... you didn't...ahh... answer my question." She bit out as they began to slowly move towards the bathroom.

"I didn't feel the need as the bathroom is right across the hall from here…come on." He helped her hobble to the bathroom, and sat her down on the edge of the tub, "I'll leave you to get yourself ready for the day. I'll be in the kitchen making breakfast. Eggs and sausage okay?"

"Mister Humphries? One moment before you go and breakfast sounds delicious." She touched his elbow as he turned to leave.

"Yes?" he asked, glancing down at her.

"One... I should probably not get my knee wet right? And two... do you have a shirt or robe or something I can change into? My clothes smell." She asked, making a disgusted face as she mentioned her clothes. "Also, thank you. I can never repay you for your kindness."

"This soon…don't get them wet. You should try to keep them dry for the first forty-eight hours. So I suggest a bath and elevate your leg onto the edge to help keep it dry. And I'll leave something for you to wear outside the door." Alan nodded, "And don't mention it. It's the least I can do to help someone in need."

"Alright. I will try to be careful... However I may need your help to get out of the tub. But I promise I will drain it first and wrap my towel around my body. Thank you so much." She said lowering her gaze as she sat there fidgeting.

Alan nodded, blushing lightly as he hurried from the room, closing the door behind him.

Lily waited till he shut the door. She leaned forward and lifted the commode lid. She peeled her skirt off carefully, wincing as the cloth brushed the wound on her knee. In one swift move, she pulled down her panties and landed on the seat. Sighing in relief. She finished undressing herself and filled the tub, sliding ever so carefully into it. Steam surrounded her as she laid her head back on the back of the tub and relaxed, her injured leg hanging over the side of the tub.

Alan dug through his wardrobe, finding the brown, flowered dress he had once worn to an opera, and pulled it out. He had no use for it, after all. So, hanging it on the door handle of the bathroom as he passed, he made his way to the kitchen to begin cooking.

Hearing a sound at the door, Lily's head popped up and looked at it. She figured it was just the brunet, dropping off something to wear. She picked up the washcloth and the bar of soap and started scrubbing her skin. Once she felt clean and the water had grown cold, she pulled the plug. Also the smell of food wafted into the bathroom, making her stomach growl.

With the water finally completely drained she hollered out to the brunet. "Mister Humphries, Sir. I am ready to get out of the tub."

"One moment!" he called out, taking the pan off the stove and plating the food for her, packing the rest away to take to share with William. He walked to the door, "You are covered?"

"Yes... best as I can, but it should be enough." She replied, watching him walk into the bathroom. "I am so terribly sorry about all of this." She apologized again as her cheeks began to heat.

He shook his head, adverting his eyes as he helped her up and out of the tub, "It's none of your fault. Here." he set her on the edge of the tub again and walked to the door, grabbing the dress and a cane. "This cane should help. I had forgotten I had it."

She giggled, "You wore a dress? Hmm...?" She sat staring up at the brunet. Her hand supporting her chin.

"It was the only way I could get into an event." He nodded, "I wasn't the only one needing to cross-dress."

She laughed, "I am trying to picture this in my head. Would you mind holding the dress up in front of you?"

Almost shyly, Alan shook out the dress and held it up to himself, "I wore a wig with it, too…"

"Awe... I bet you looked adorable. I promise. I will take very good care of your dress for you. Then if you ever need to wear it again..." She laughed, unable to finish her sentence.

"I have no plans to wear it again, the things are difficult to move around in…I don't know how you ladies do it." He lay the dress on the dry sink and turned away, "I'll be in the kitchen…breakfast is ready."

"I will be out shortly." She lowered her voice. "I hope."

Pushing herself up, Lily leaned heavily on the cane, cringing with each movement. "Damn it! You just had to over do it yesterday didn't you?" She cursed herself as she flopped onto the commode and held the dress up in front of herself, shaking it out. She gave the dress a not so pleasing look, and then sighed. "I have seen worse."

Alan hummed, letting Clover out into his rather small yard; a fenced in area the size of a small porch. It's what he had being on the first floor. He then filled Clover's dish and made sure the pup would have what he would need for the day.

Lily slipped the garment on, but was unable to button the last few buttons. She pushed herself up, biting her lip, trying not to scream. Carefully and slowly she made her way to the hall. "Mister Humphries? I can't get the last two buttons." She called out continuing to hobble down the hall towards the kitchen.

"I'll help…" he walked over to her, "Turn around, please."

She winced as she turned and leaned heavily on the cane. "Thank you...sss... again."

Alan nodded and pulled the buttons through the button holes, "Sorry the fit isn't very good…but it is cute on you."

Once the dress was fastened and she turned back around, Lily softly spoke. "Mister Humphries I think I need to sit down, my leg is killing me while standing up. I feel so foolish for slipping and falling."

"Not at all, have a seat." He helped her to the simple white-painted chair at his table and let her sit down, "We all have occasional lack of grace. Yours happened to be around broken glass on the ground."

Unable to bend her knee properly, Lily let it stay straight out in front of her, whimpering just a tad. "I am afraid I have always had such bad luck. But I can't recall ever hurting myself this bad before. I feel like such a burden and I don't know what to do about work today. I know I can't manage it."

"Why not go back to your own apartment and rest? I'll tell them you can't make it when I go in."

"Will they be upset with me if I don't come in today? I don't want to screw up my first couple of days there. Blast it! I just had to fall. They are going to think I am a disaster. What am I going to do?" Lily began to panic as she stared down at the plate on the table before her.

"Really, it's not a worry, Miss Lily. Things happen and our department is very understanding most of the time. Just think of it as your first day being tomorrow or the day after instead, when you can use your leg more." He smiled, "Go on, eat up. I'm a decent cook, promise."

"I don't doubt you are a good cook. The smells were making my mouth water as they drifted into the bathroom." She smiled up at the brunet. "I don't know how I will be able to make this up to you. I must say I am glad though you were the first reaper I ran into. You are very kind. Just what a way to start my new assignment."

"Don't worry about it. I'm happy to help. I'll be right back." He left her and walked around the apartment, gathering her things into a bag for her, pausing at her heeled shoes. Grell could walk hurt in heels, but he had some doubt that many other people could. But he had no shoes to lend to her. His feet were larger than hers and that wouldn't help her leg. "I'm afraid you'll have to walk barefoot from here unless you think you can make it in heels."

Lily swallowed the bit of food she was chewing as the brunet walked back into the kitchen with her stuff. "Heavens no. The way my knee feels... I would cause more injury to my body if I tried."

"I thought so. You seem more delicate than Grell." He said, setting the bag down on the table and going to pour himself a glass of milk, "You should be able to get around with the cane…I'll walk you to your door just in case before heading on my way. I could check on you when I get out of work, if you wish."

Nodding, Lily inquired. "Grell? You mentioned that name yesterday. Is she a field officer like yourself or is she one of the secretaries?"

"He's a senior officer…but he doesn't act like it most of the time."

Lily blushed, "Oh, I just assumed he was a she, since you mentioned he wears heels." Needing to cool her warm cheeks, she took a sip from her glass of milk.

"He likes to be called a 'she' at times. He's a very original and flamboyant man. He'd wear a dress to work if dress code allowed it." Alan sat across from her, "He's got a temper but he's a good person."

"Oh, I see. I think." She quirked a brow at the brunet. "Are you two close?"

"With Grell? We're good friends." He shrugged, "I usually end up his shopping partner somehow."

Lily giggled, "I should love to meet him sometime. He seems quite fun." She forked up another batch of eggs and began to chew, swallowing them before speaking again. "How long have you known each other?"

"He was in Dispatch when I got out of the academy. He actually taught one of my classes towards the end. He's been a reaper for… a hundred years, I think, I have only been so for forty-six."

"Sometimes I get a bit frightened at the notion of living forever. It seems weird, as a mortal I was afraid of death and now that I am immortal... I am afraid of living forever. If that even makes sense." She mumbled a bit melancholy.

"…I think every reaper has those same thoughts…I did, until I was…" he shook his head and downed the rest of his milk. "…You just need to find meaning in your life…"

She looked up at him curiously. "Until what? I am sorry I should not pry. You don't have to answer if you wish not to."

Alan was silent a moment, looking down into his glass, "…To tell the truth—I'm dying…slowly." He smiled weakly, "It's no secret, nearly everyone knows…but in my case…eternity has a limit, just as mortality had…"

"Yes. I recall you mentioning an illness, but if you are dying then that would mean you have been infected with..." The impact of it all sinking in. She felt bad and immediately apologized, trying to rectify her mistake. "I am terribly sorry. I wouldn't have brought it up had I only thought more on it. Do forgive me?"

He shook his head, "Like I said, I've come to terms with it. I do what I can to make my time worth it. Leave my mark…help the younger reapers that will take my place."

"Well as I said before, I should not have spoken out of turn and brought up something as tragic as that." She glanced at Alan. "I am afraid I have made quite the impression and you must think me an immature twat. But may I extend a compliment to you?"

"Not at all. You are young, but a very kind young lady." He smiled and cleared away the dishes, "And please, speak as you wish."

"You are a good cook. I can't cook to safe my life. I am simply horrible at it. When I was alive I was never taught. I wasn't allowed in the kitchens, so becoming a reaper, I haven't figured it out yet. At the academy at least they fed you...on my own...I go some nights without eating." She confessed, finishing off her milk.

"Thank you. I'm glad you like it. And it's not that hard—Unless you are like Ronald Knox. He'd set the place on fire if he set foot in a kitchen." He laughed, "You'll learn, I'm sure."

Lily's brows furrowed, "Ronald Knox?" Unsure as to whom the brunet was referring to.

"You'll meet him quickly, I'm sure. He's very popular in the office." He smiled, "You'll meet everyone. We are a smaller department. New people get a lot of attention."

"Why does that frighten me, you saying that? You... should I be made aware about him?" Lily puzzled over this other reaper. There had been another reaper that night at the candlestick maker's, could he have been the one or was that reaper another one she would soon meet?

"He's a flirt. His boyfriend also is. But they mean no harm. Come on, if you are ready, I'll walk you to your door."

"Wait he is...? But he flirts with women too?" She asked, wiping the crumbs from her lips.

"No, he prefers men. Though there is a rumor he had a lady lover at one point. He doesn't talk about it, though." He shrugged and gathered the bag of her things and his and William's breakfast before holding his hand out to her to help her up.

Carefully, she stood, taking his hand. Whimpering as she moved her injured leg. "Oh, that hurts." She whispered. "Please, may I link our arms. I need the extra support."

"Of course. Why else would I walk you to your door?" he smiled, "And move slow. There is no rush."

Slowly they made their way to the door. Her bare feet gliding over the smooth, polished wood. "Should we perhaps portal over to my door? I don't think I can walk the distance. I am in the building behind you, but across from you, towards the back." She looked up at the brunet pleadingly.

Alan hesitated, "Portals take a lot of energy to form. The distance doesn't matter. It'll take some of yours, as well if you step through. Do you think you can handle it?"

"Surely it would be less painful. I don't think I can walk that far." She replied, pain etched across her face. Lily in fact, could walk across the complex, despite the severity of her pain. But she had come this far in convincing the brunet, that she was indeed terribly injured. She looked more desperately at Alan as she awaited his response.

"As long as you don't pass out on me again." He teased and shifted the bags to the crook of his arm and summoned his scythe, soon opening a portal and guiding her through.

Lily felt woozy as she emerged on the other side, but she did not pass out, instead she stumbled to the ground, slinking over to the potted plant in the hall and vomiting most of her breakfast.

"Maybe it wasn't the best idea…" Alan sighed, helping her up, "Which door is yours?"

Pretending to sniffle, Lily sniffed the air instead. She located the scent of a young female reaper two doors down and to the left. "Ugh... I am on the left. Second door. The key should be in my... my coat pocket." She leaned against the wall, holding herself up, while she waited for the brunet to search it.

He nodded and helped her over to the door, digging through the bag for her jacket and pulling it out to find the key. He handed her the bag and jacket, "If you think you can take it from here, I'll take my leave."

"I suppose so." She mumbled, surprised he was not making sure she got into the apartment. However if the brunet were to leave, then she had been dealt the perfect hand. With him gone, she would not have to make more excuses and she could finally sneak inside, claim the apartment for herself. She smiled and nodded, "You go on. I know I am keeping you from someone."

He blinked, his cheeks heating, "…How did you know..?"

"I heard the phone ring. I couldn't make out what you were saying, but I could tell it was someone important and you cooked enough breakfast for three. I am keeping you from them." She replied as she began to rummage through her coat pockets, pretending to look for the key. "Go." She said glancing back up.

Alan seemed a little flustered by her reply, but he nodded, "Should I check back with you if it is not too late when I get out of work?"

"If you would like to. That would be kind of you. And thank you very much for your…everything." Lily acknowledged.

"Not a problem. I hope you heal up fast. Good day, Miss Lily." He gave a small nod of his head before forming a portal to the hospital and stepping through, the portal closing behind him leaving Lily alone.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	13. Chapter 13

Once at the hospital, Alan wasted no time in making his way up to William's room, knocking lightly on the doorframe as he slipped in, seeing that the doctors were not currently with him. He smiled and held up their breakfast, "Hungry?"

William looked up, closing the book in his lap. A smile painted his lips. "I am quite hungry. I am glad to see you. I am terribly sorry for disturbing you so early this morning."

"Not at all…serves me right for going to bed before finishing my daily paperwork," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling over the tray to place their breakfast on, "Sorry if it got a little cold…"

"I could careless if it is cold. The kitchen here is backed up this morning and my stomach has been making noise for over an hour now. There is no telling when breakfast will arrive," Will offered, taking a look at what Alan had cooked and brought along with himself.

"Well good. Because I have no means to reheat it," Alan finished setting their breakfast out and handed Will a fork and knife. "How are you feeling? I know I asked on the phone, but…"

"Well the doctors believe in a day or two the cast can come off. That my arm is nearly healed and I should just be in a sling for a while. I can finally scratch. That has been the dastardly, difficult thing. I itch and I have no way to scratch," Will scowled as he picked up his fork and used it to cut into a sausage.

The brunet chuckled, "You and medical leave simply don't mix. You should leave that to me."

Chuckling, Will swallowed the bite he was chewing. "No. I do not believe either one of us should be bed bound. We should be having a picnic or enjoying a concert."

"Both much better ideas. And I plan to make sure we do so once you are let free of itchy casts and uncomfortable tubes."

Nodding his head unpretentiously, Will forked some of the hash browns; and then took another bite before inquiring about the new reaper, that had slept the night before, in his lover's home. "Now tell me about this new reaper? Miss...?" Will asked swallowing.

"Lily Downs. I'm afraid I don't know much. We only spoke casually about her coming into our department for work."

"Did you, by chance look over her transfer papers?" Will inquired, sipping on his morning tea. At least the hospital had been able to provide that for him till the brunet had arrived.

"No…should I have? I just figured she could wait for Eric to get back…"

"Only if she had them on her. Technically, since Slingby is running things in my absence it should be him who received them. Do you know if she saw him first?" Will dabbed the corner of his mouth with his napkin as he peered up at the brunet.

"No, she didn't even know you were on medical leave. I found her looking for you," Alan said between bites of breakfast.

Will nodded in recognition. "Her papers must have been drawn up right around the time of the incident. When you see her next time... retrieve her documents and I will look them over before you hand them to Slingby. I am curious about this reaper who slept in your bed last night," Will smirked, teasing the brunet as he took another sip of his tea.

Alan's cheeks flushed and he stiffened, "It wasn't like that, Will! Don't make it sound so—dirty…"

Will smiled, "Alright."

Then his face grew serious as he let his smile fade into concern, "Now tell me what happened yesterday with that incident Knox informed me of? Obviously you are fine now, but I heard you almost had another attack."

Alan sighed, "Should have known you'd want to talk about it…I really don't know…" He looked up at his lover, setting his fork down, "I got there, the man hadn't passed yet, so I waited, and suddenly…blood. Lots of it."

"Would you tell me step by step what happened?" Will pressed further. He didn't like upsetting Alan, but he needed to know.

"Roger Miller," Alan started, looking down in his lap, "I arrived at his candle shop on time and moved up to his upstairs office where he was bent over his table working. I stepped aside to watch, expecting his heart to fail, or an assassin…cause of death wasn't on the list. Just the time and place. But then that time passed by, and I slowly approached him. That's when it happened…"

Alan paused, closing his eyes as he gathered his thoughts. "Blood started pouring out of his neck, as if he'd been stabbed there," he pointed to his own throat where the wounds had appeared, "H-he screamed, and then…his chest…it tore open—I…I could see his heart beating frantically—his eyes wide in fear as he sputtered, drowning in his own blood…" he shook at the memory, "H-he started bleeding from every pore in his body before his heart just…stopped, and I…"

Will's face turned a light shade of green; the story made him feel rather sick as he listened to Alan's detailed account of the occurrence. He had read the report, but nothing could have prepared him, hearing the incident told out right. Feeling more peckish, William covered his mouth with his napkin. Still, he needed to know more and inquired further, despite himself, "Did you see anything or smell anything? The temperature – off or odd occurrences?"

"I…I don't remember…nothing had felt off until it happened..." Alan took a shaky breath, "All I remember is being frozen next to him as he was ripped apart…all that blood."

"I do not think it was a coincidence, Alan. I think you ran into that bloody demon. I am just grateful it decided not to touch you. The thought of it harming you makes my stomach sour," Will confessed, reaching his hand out and touching Alan's. "I do not know what I would do if it had laid a hand on you."

"What kind of demon can mask it's presence in such a way?" Alan asked, "I've never failed to detect one before," he sighed and moved around to sit next to William in the bed, running his fingers through his messy hair, "What it did to you and Grell was bad enough."

William looked up at Alan and replied, softly, "Honestly, I don't know. I cannot recall ever learning of such a demon. I think a little research is going to be needed and we all need to be on our guard."

The brunet nodded, "We can't afford to let this get out of hand. You and Grell are senior reapers, and look what it did to you…imagine if it targeted a junior reaper next? Or a student."

"Please do not think that way. Let us hope that it can be found and taken care of. I do not like to think of the endless possibilities. What it is capable of," Will frowned, adjusting his glasses.

"It's a reality, though. Thinking of it could help prepare us for it," Alan pointed out, "This isn't just going to go away…William." Alan shifted, cupping his lover's face, "I was so close to loosing you."

"I know, Alan...I know," Will whispered, rubbing the brunet's cheek with the back of his knuckles.

The younger sighed, pausing in comfortable silence before he leaned in, pressing their lips together, his eyes closed, "Have I told you yet that I rather like your new glasses?" he asked. The frames, though very similar to his old pair, had a sleeker look to them.

"No," Will swallowed, "you haven't."

His eyes searched his young lover's. "I should have asked you out sooner," He whispered as he slipped his hand behind Alan's head, pulling him closer, crushing their mouths together once more.

"You weren't ready to be social, and I wasn't ready to be anything more than friends with anyone. Time set it up perfect for us," Alan smiled.

"Still, I wish we had been with each other sooner. Your lips are so soft. They haunt my dreams," Will professed, nipping Alan's lip, before kissing him hard and passionately; and the kiss wasn't the only thing hard. Will's anatomy stirred with a ferocious force.

Alan gasped into William's mouth before letting out a small hum. His own body responding to Will's. "If…if I didn't know any better, I'd say you couldn't go two minutes without stirring up…trouble."

Will raised a brow and smirked against the brunet's mouth, "What can I say Mister Humphries...you gave me something to stir, when you fell into my pot."

Alan blinked, and then gave a quiet laugh, "And I thought only Eric could come up with silly flirts like that," he smiled, "Honestly, how will you survive until you can come home?"

Carefully, Will took Alan's hand and slid it down his body. Gently he rubbed the brunet's palm over his erection; never letting their eyes loose contact. He could not help but gasp as Alan's fingers brushed across the head of his hardened memeber, "Perhaps...ahh...there is a way to..." Will swallowed hard, "to take the edge...off."

The brunet flushed and bit his lip, "Has the doctors been in to see to your morning check-up yet?" he whispered.

Will nodded and whispered, "The only thing I was expecting was breakfast and there has been no word on when it will come. However, I have noticed, whenever you come to visit. They do not bring my corresponding meal." He kissed Alan softly, "You're here...equals no breakfast."

"I guess I'm used to them checking in on me every morning to do tests on my condition," Alan said, standing up and walking over to the door. He flipped the lock, then walked to the window and drew the shades, causing the bright sunlight to only filter in through the gaps between each blade of the shades. He then removed his gloves and jacket, setting them on the visitor's chair; and then moved the tray away from the bed.

Reaching out, William touched Alan's hand. "If you are not comfortable...we do not have to do anything. I...I just..."

His words ran dry as he raised the brunet's hand to his cheek. Slowly he closed his eyes nuzzling the smooth, soft skin of Alan's palm. He was unshaven and tiny little hairs bristled against Alan's delicate flesh, roughly.

"You're a bad influence on me," Alan whispered, moving to straddle the man's legs before leaning in to kiss him, "And you are healed enough for a little action."

"I think you are the bad influence. Until you, I had little to no carnal appetite. Now I wish only to be touching you, even if it is with only one arm and hand available," William spoke huskily. His voice dropping lower than normal as he cupped the brunet's cheek, pulling him down to kiss him more fervently.

"And you think I was the type to do any of this before? I believe you were the one to seduce me, Mister Spears," Alan reconnected the kiss and slid his hands along William's sides, feeling his form under the thin hospital gown.

Will raised his eyebrow in question. "Is that so Mister Humphries? Perhaps it was your passions that seduced me first," he argued as his hand traveled down the front of the brunet; casually slipping between Alan's legs, cupping the brunet in his hand.

Alan gave a small gasp, closing his eyes, "It hadn't been my intent upon doing so…" he breathed against the skin of his lover's neck.

"What would you like to do Alan? How far? I won't press you here," Will whispered in his ear. Fingers teased the growing bulge in Alan's trousers as Will groped and fondled his lover.

"I only tend to give you something to hold you off a few more days before you can leave," Alan replied, voice breathy, "I do need to leave for work as well after this…" he tilted his head back and moaned, rolling his hips as his fingers slipped under the gown and traced along Will's hips.

William watched how the brunet reacted. He enjoyed watching Alan writhe with pleasure, pleasure he was not accustomed to. Will began to gloat on the inside; Alan was his and only he had had the enjoyment of watching such a display from him.

"Will you pleasure me with your mouth or your body?" The question came out more brash, than he had intended. He hoped he had not scared the smaller reaper with the harshness of his question, but his desire for the brunet seemed to brush aside all rhyme or reason from his mind.

Alan's entire face flushed brighter than William had ever seen it, and he looked down wide-eyed at the older reaper; "P-putting it that way…"

Though he seemed shocked by the blunt statement; Alan's bulge had grown harder in William's hand.

"You are not offended then?" Will remarked feeling the brunet's excitement in his hand. "If I did not know better Mister Humphries. I would believe you like to be told what to do."

The brunet bit his lip, "Why would I be offended? You're my boyfriend, William."

Will smirked, "That was more rhetorical than actual." He cleared his throat, before speaking again, "Touch me, Alan. Take me into your mouth."

Face still bright red, Alan slid down William's body, tugging his blanket down as well. Then carefully he pushed Will's hospital gown up, taking the proud erection in his hand. Stroking it before taking it into his mouth, Alan slid his tongue along the shaft to wet it before slowly starting to bob his head along it, caressing every inch with his lips.

Pleasure surged through the bed-bound reaper. Hips jerking slightly in reaction to the warm wet cavern of Alan's lush mouth. Will groaned as he reached down, fingers raking through soft brown strands. Twirling and wrapping themselves up, tugging slightly against his scalp. With a low growl, William called the brunet's name, "Alan..."

Alan hummed in response and sped his motions, gently scraping his teeth along William's member a few times as he gripped the man's hips.

Feeling as though he might explode, William grunted, "Stop – Alan, stop."

Alan paused and glanced up at him before pulling off him and sitting up, "Did…I do something wrong?"

"No. I...I just do not want to expel in your mouth. I would never degrade you like that," Will assured, his length twitching from being denied release.

"Oh…" The brunet flushed. Really, he would have been fine with it. They were together, after all…and there was nothing degrading about it. But he said nothing about that, "Then, do you want me to finish with my hand?"

"Come here. Lay down beside me." The request was simple as Will patted the bed next to him, urging the brunet to stretch out along side him.

The younger nodded and moved to the indicated spot, looking up to meet William's gaze.

Will cupped Alan's chin, guiding him, till their lips met. Softly Will kissed his lover. As the brunet's lips parted, the kiss grew more passionate and Will's hand slipped behind Alan's head, pressing him closer.

"Mmh…" Alan moaned quietly into the kiss, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around his lover, his tongue sliding against William's.

Tongues dueling for dominance, Will thrust his suggestively in Alan's mouth. He moved his hand down the brunet's back. Eventually settling on his pert, little rump. Beginning to knead the soft flesh, hidden beneath his clothes, Will moaned, grinding his erection into the Alan's hip.

The brunet gasped, his body responding by grinding back, his member thick in his slacks. Their glasses clicked together and Alan's went crooked on his face, unknown to him as his eyes stayed closed, enjoying his lover's kisses and caresses.

Breaking the kiss, Will stared at Alan. "May I remove...or do you mind lowering your trousers? I would like to touch you," he whispered seductively.

Unable to flush any redder, the brunet nodded and wiggled out of his slacks after removing his belt and popping open the buttons. When they reached his ankles, he kicked them off along with his shoes; his socks going with them.

Will watched, amused at how readily the brunet was removing his clothing. "Straddle my lap," he instructed, nodding to his lower boddy.

Again, Alan did as instructed, moving back to his lover's legs and straddling them, their erect members touching.

Will hissed as Alan's cock brushed against his own. His eyes automatically closing, his head tilting back. Gently he took the brunet into his hand, stroking him slowly. He looked forward at his lover, meeting his eyes, studying him, watching as pleasure began to take over his small body.

"Ahh…ah!" Alan bit down on his lip, trying to keep quiet, though a few moans and gasps began to slip past. Looking down, he stiffened his arms, holding onto either one of William's hips, his short nails biting into his skin slightly.

"Yes..." Will murmured, watching the Brunet's reactions to his hand as hit slid up and down his heated shaft, "Do you like that Alan?"

"Ahh—!" Alan opened his mouth to respond, but only a loud, cracked gasp escaped. Embarrassed, he slapped a hand over his mouth, breathing into it as William continued to tease him.

Will could not help but grin up at the brunet. He was adorable when embarrassed or shocked. Wanting to drive him madder, Will squeezed a little harder as his hand glided up Alan's length.

The younger reaper moaned, biting down on his knuckle and leaning forward, his body moving on it's own as he gave a few trusts into William's hand, "—ill…" he gasped around his knuckles.

Stopping, Will kindly asked; a hint of lust in his tone, "Would you like me to stop for now? Or would your rather come with me...while I am inside you?"

Alan was panting, his pale chest patterned with the evidence of his illness heaving under his shirt and vest; and he cracked open an eye to gaze down upon William, "I…I hadn't…meant for it t-to get this far." Reaching out, he grabbed William's hand, drawing his fingers into his mouth.

"I am glad, that you are allowing...it to go this far," Will groaned, feeling his fingers slip into the warm abyss of Alan's mouth, "I have been in agony, lying in this bed."

"I know…and I'm sorry…" Alan whispered as he let the fingers slip out of his mouth, coated nicely.

"Kiss me," Will ordered. "It's not your fault," he whispered just before their mouths were crushed together once morei. His hand snaked around to Alan's backside. Coated nicely in saliva, his index finger burrowed it's way inside the brunet, teasing him – stretching him.

Alan was bent over, his length rubbing against William's as their lips locked and his entrance was teased, forcing muffled moans to escape into Will's mouth.

Will slipped his middle finger in alongside his index, quickly he thrust the digits in and out. They crisscrossed, stretching and rolling around, loosening Alan's entrance. Will's own member growing harder still, as pre-cum seeped from it's tip. "Alan..." he moaned into their heated kiss.

"Will…please…" Alan gasped, hugging William, his body heating with the fire of lust.

"Lift up," Will instructed, withdrawing his fingers from the brunet's body, "Take me into your hand and guide me in. Have you ridden a horse before?"

"Yes…when I was a child," Alan blushed. "But you are hardly a horse," he said, lifting himself up and lowering himself onto the other's awaiting member; "Ghynnh!" Without proper lube, this was going to be quite uncomfortable at first. They really needed to start keeping a bottle with them if things like this were going to happen once in a while.

Grunting, Will instructed further, "Pretend I am a horse. Move like you would...ahh...if you were riding one." His eyes rolled to the back of his head. The feel of the brunet encasing him inside his body was like Heaven to the raven-haired reaper.

Alan waited a long moment, adjusting to the sensation and stretching before he started moving stiffly, not quite knowing how William had meant. "Nngh…"

"That's it... Alan. Rock your hips back and forth," Will encouraged as he placed his good hand on the brunet's hips.

"Hahh! W-Will!" Alan gasped, his head falling back as he did as he was instructed, Will's hand guiding his hips slightly as he moved, "Ohh…sweet Rhea…"

Will watched the brunet, watched with great intensity. He relished the way Alan moved, unsure and in need of guidance. Slowly, Will moved his hand over Alan's hip, past his thigh. Fingertips gently grazed the brunet's hardened shaft as they made their way from the base to the tip.

"Do you enjoy me touching you there... Alan?" he whispered.

"Hnnm…" Alan cracked open his eyes and looked down at William as a shiver racked through his thin body. He slumped forward a little. His arms holding himself up as he gripped William's sides. His movements almost desperate not to stop, "Y-yes…"

Wrapping his fingers around the girth of Alan's cock, William began to stroke him. The brunet's member grew harder and longer in his hand from his touch. "Mmm...you feel so...so good to me, Alan."

"Ahh-ah!" biting down on his lip proved unsuccessful at quieting himself, and Alan's cheeks flushed darker as he moved along his lover's shaft, "W-William! I-I—!"

William's own moans were growing louder with each caress of Alan's body. He began to stroke the brunet faster, sensing that he was trying to say he was close to orgasm.

"Don't fight it. Come for me, Alan," Will ordered softly, squeezing the brunet as his hand moved up and down on his shaft.

Somehow moving faster, Alan cried out, his release overtaking him as he spilled out over his lover's hand. "Ahhn-ah!"

Groaning, William's orgasm followed quickly after the brunet's. Once Alan's body clenched all around his buried cock, contracting, Will lost all sense and spilled his seed; Alan's body milking him of every last drop.

"Alan," he panted, pulling the brunet down on top of him, kissing the top of his head.

The young reaper panted against William's neck, breathing in his scent as his speeding heart started to calm. His cheeks darkened again, "I…I didn't mean to go so far…not here"

Will pressed his cheek to the top of the brunet's crown and chuckled, "Do not be embarrassed. No one was around to disturb us or discover us. It is not as if we did it in front of an open window. Besides, I think you may have just sped up my recovery."

Alan wrapped his arms around him, "Doesn't mean we weren't heard…" he mumbled, "but if you really think it sped up your recovery, then that's good."

"I don't want to let you go," Will whispered into Alan's soft brown locks, "I want to keep you safe in my arms, for the rest of eternity."

Alan blushed, "Funny…right now shouldn't I be keeping you safe?" he teased, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Not after that creature gave you a fright. I want to wrap my hands around it's throat and kill it with my bare hands. After what it did to Sutcliff and me. Then what it did in front of you. I am just glad it chose not to harm you. Still it taunted you and that galls me. I will not rest till it is dead"

Will held tighter as his anger manifested itself. The image of Grell laying there when the lights came back on. The imagery, conjured by the report he had read on Alan's incident. His blood was nearly at a boil.

"It never touched me, but it did you—it put you in the hospital, William," Alan pointed out, "And did worse to poor Grell—it may have done more had we not arrived when we did."

William sighed softly against the brunet's hair, "I know and that is what frightens me most. What if it had? What if you and Ronald had not shown up when you did?" A cold shiver worked it's way down his spine.

Alan tilted his head back and pressed a kiss to William's jaw, "But we did…and you are safe now."

"And I will always be thankful for that. But I wish the damn doctors would let me see Sutcliff. They refuse to let me near him," Will grumbled and complained.

"He's in a coma," Alan shrugged, "An unnatural one. They think it's unsafe for people to see him so they are only letting in a few select medical staff members."

He had overheard the doctors talking a few days earlier.

"And I was just as exposed as him. I could very well be in that same coma right now, if you and Knox had not shown up. That creature was out to kill us. Which is why I can't understand why it did not lay a finger on you. How is it you were face to face with it and it touched you not? None of this makes any sense," Will looked up at Alan, their eyes meeting, "I am grateful, but confused none the less."

"We don't even know for sure that that's what I witnessed, William," Alan pointed out.

"I would stake my life on it, Alan. I am sure it was the same creature."

He pulled the brunet down so that they were eye to eye, "Please be careful. I can't lose you. Not when I just found you."

Alan took Will's good hand and brought it up to press it to his chest over his heart, "As long as fate will let me stay with you," He vowed.

Will raised his head, locking their lips together in a warm, loving kiss. "I am falling for you," he whispered, tenderly.

"Looks to me, you have already fallen," Alan teased back with a smile.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	14. Chapter 14

"Hey Al!" Eric hollered as he watched the brunet step off the lift; onto the thirteenth floor of the Dispatch.

Earlier that morning Eric Slingby sat in the hall of the medical ward. He had been trying to gain access to Grell's room, when he had seen the brunet walk by and down the hall heading towards their boss' room. Curious as to why he was there so early in the morning, the blond approached him in the office building. He noticed Alan was a bit off kilter, not as pristine as usual. His bolo tie was not tight and a corner of his shirt was not tucked in all the way. If Eric hadn't known any better he would have thought Alan and the ass had had a tussle in the hospital bed.

"Hmm?" Alan blinked, having been distracting himself by leafing through his assignments for the day. Spotting Eric, he offered a smile, "Good morning, Eric." He nodded in his usual greeting.

"How ya fellin' taday? I saw ya at the hospital this mornin' an' was wonderin' wha' ya were doin' there," Eric asked as he met the brunet's gaze.

"Hospital? Oh, No, I'm fine. I just went to visit William, fill him in on a few things here at the office." He said truthfully. After all, they had talked about the new girl before things got…personal.

Eric grinned a little wider, "Ya sure tha' was all ya two were doin'? Ya seem a bit out of sorts this mornin'." He reached out and touched the bolo tie around the brunet's neck.

Alan looked down and quickly fixed his tie, a blush crossing his cheeks, "I had a late night last night and a phone call woke me early," he said simply.

"Sure. If ya say so Al," Eric teased with a gleam in his eye, but quickly he sobered and asked. "So how's Spears? I keep meanin' to drop in on him. See for meself as to how he is doin', but I don'. I keep tryin' to convince the docs ta let me go in an' sit with Sutcliff, but they keep sayin' it ain't safe ta do so. Tha' he ain't woke up yet."

"From what I have heard, Grell's practically quarantined. William, on the other hand should be released soon. Good thing, too. I think he's going crazy not being able to come into work. Doesn't much like being stuck in bed hooked up to machines and having a cast on his arm. He seemed kind of worried when I told him that you were in charge during his medical leave." He laughed, teasing Eric.

Giving a non-to-pleased look at the brunet for the jab, Eric replied, "Cute Al, very cute. Ya know, I am jus' as capable as ya an' Spears at runnin' this joint. I'm older than the two of yas. I may speak with bad grammar, but I know how to use my noggin. Spears is jus' a work-aholic. He don' trust his fellow reaper with notin'."

"I was teasing you," Alan said, rolling his eyes, "I know that you are perfectly capable of doing the job when you have the motivation. "Though it makes me wonder how Ronald is taking your change in work ethics."

Eric looked away, scratching his head. "Ronald, ain't been sayin' much to me lately."

The brunet nodded, "He's not used to you having to work so much. Even before you two got together…"

"It's not tha' Al. Ronald moved out. We sorta split," Eric confessed as he looked back up at the brunet.

"…What? When was this? What happened…I mean…you two were so close…"

"You won' understand," Eric sighed as he walked over to the bench along the corridor wall. Sitting down, he leaned on his knees, rubbing his hands over his face. "It started a few months ago. After Sutcliff an' I went on tha' major collection over in Bristol. Somethin' happened. I tried ta make it work with Ron. Jus' the chemistry was gone. He was more like a drinkin' bud than a lover."

"I don't understand because you aren't really telling me, Eric," Alan said, sitting down next to him, "I'm your friend, Eric, you can talk to me."

Eric looked up. "We're all friends righ'? Well things had gotten a bit stale with Ron an' I. Ya know the magic had fizzled. I got sent with Sutcliff an' I sorta got ta know him a bit. Never taken the time ta talk ta him. He was a good partner an' so different ta talk ta."

Sweat began to glisten on Eric's forehead. He was nervous, but he looked Alan in the eyes and took a deep breath, "Grell's been a good friend. I started talkin' ta him about Ron an' I. I didna mean fer it ta happen, but I sorta got a crush on the blasted redhead. He don' know it either, nor does Ron."

"…Please tell me you didn't cheat on him, Eric!" Alan gasped, "You know his past…what his ex had done to him…"

"No I ain't gone an' cheated on him," Eric huffed as he stood up and turned to look down at the brunet, "Do ya really think I am tha' low, Al? I'd never hurt Ron. Especially like tha'. I know wha' tha' bastard did ta him, when he was mortal. I hadn't even bridged things yet either with Sutcliff. Like I said he didna know I was crushin' on him. Grell thinks we're jus' friends. Ron an' I came ta a mutual agreement. I sat down with him an' told him tha' the flame...gone up an' burned out. I care a great deal fer him. Jus' I didna love him. We kept it quiet, so as not ta disrupt the work flow. There ain't no bad blood between us, jus'...well he still has feelin's fer me. Tha's the only reason we don' talk as much."

Alan nodded and frowned, "I see…"

"What, Al?" Eric asked, confused by Alan's frown.

"It's just a shame…" he shook his head, "I thought you two would be happy together…" He glanced out the window, "…Ronald was thinking of taking your relationship a step further soon…"

"I know. But ya can't force things, Al. The zing is either there or it ain't. You..." Eric pointed at the brunet, "of all reapers should know abou' tha'. An' don' ya be tellin' me tha' nothin' is goin' on between ya an' Spears."

Alan's eyes widened, "R-really, Eric…" he said, trying to shrug off the comment.

Eric walked up behind the brunet, placing his fingers under the brunet's chin, he turned Alan's head so he had to look up at him. "Look at me. I ain't blind Alan. I seen how ya looked at him all these years. I always thought ya two would make a 'andsome couple."

Alan blushed a little more visibly, "You know how I am, though," he said quietly. Though this time it was a lie.

"Yeah, I know. Stubborn an' afraid of ya own shadow," Eric smirked, teasing the brunet.

"No I'm not!" Alan looked away, "I'm afraid of the hurt others will feel when I die."

Eric's smirk faded, "Al, ya can't live like tha'. Sure it'd be awful ta loose ya. Ya became family ta the lot of us. But at anytime, anyone of us could go. Jus' stop existin'. Look at Sutcliff an' Spears. If ya an' Ron hadna shown up when ya did..."

Resuming his seat, Eric let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck, "I'll be frank with ya. Yeah, more 'an likely ya be the first of us ta go. It'll be hard for us all, but we'll have ya in our hearts an' memories. It's better ta have known ya, Al, than ta never have met ya. Ya deserve ta be happy while ya have the chance. Ta experience love an' companionship. I'm glad ta know ya givin' the boss a chance. Yer both good for each other. No matter how long it is, if ya love him an' he loves ya...savor every moment. Make it count."

"Maybe it'd be easier if I wasn't ill…" Alan sighed and pulled Eric into his empty office, closing the door, "…My attacks are getting worse already. I'm spending more and more time on medical leave—right now isn't the time I should be falling in love…"

"Maybe it is," Eric replied, removing a rowdy strand of hair from Alan's face.

Alan let out a sigh and leaned forward, resting his head on Eric's shoulder, "…But I have…" he whispered.

Eric wrapped a arm around his friend, resting his cheek on the top of Alan's head. "I know ya have. An' if he goes an' does anythin' ta hurt ya. Ya won't have ta worry bout dyin' first. "

"…Was it really that obvious?" the brunet asked in a hushed whisper.

"Only ta me," Eric softly replied, "Only ta me."

"How so? Alan asked again, looking up at him, "…Will and I were trying to keep it quiet…"

Eric looked down at the smaller reaper and smiled. "Fer one, ya never noticed me sittin' in the hall of the hospital. I've watch ya come almost everyday since the incident, ta see him. Second, since the two of ya went ta the opera...ya walk around with this dumb smile on yer face," he pinched Alan's cheek as he spoke, "Third of all, since ya two made love...ya have been the happiest I have ever seen ya, Al. Ya glow an' ya finally livin'."

Alan's face flushed redder, "Y-you could tell when we-? Oh Rhea!" he hid his face in his hands.

Removing Alan's hands from his face, Eric peered into his eyes. "Alan, ya don' need ta be embarrassed. Tha' is what reapers do when they're in love or datin' or jus' need a good fuck. I only know anyways, cause I know ya. We have worked closely, together since ya became a full fledged reaper. An' don' worry, I said nothin' ta no one."

"It's still private…" he blushed, "No matter who it had been with, or why…or even how it happened…"

"So ya shouldn't look happy?" Eric shook his head, "Maybe knowing the details, tha' ya two had sex, but knowing he makes ya happy... tha' should be shouted ta the world."

"Why is it the sex that 'makes me happy'? Why couldn't you think just spending time with him did that?" Alan countered, "A relationship shouldn't be about the sex."

Chuckling, Eric walked the brunet over towards his desk and sat down on it, then grabbed the brunet by the shoulders. "Yar misunderstandin' me Alan. It isn't bout jus' the sex. He has ta be a good man and' there fer ya. He need ta love ya fer who ya are. An' I get the feelin' Spears does. I think he has been searchin' fer someone like ya fer a long time." His brows rose as he spoke the last sentence, "An' I never said it was the sex tha' made ya happy. Jus' somethin' ya should be enjoyin'."

Alan groaned, "And now it feels like you are acting like a father to me…"

Eric chuckled, pushing the brunet away, "I ain't tryin' ta be yer Da', Alan, jus' a friend tryin' ta ground some sense into yer head."

"…It's not weird that I'm dating our boss, though?" he asked, "…I'm not used to this whole dating thing. I'm sort of afraid…and I'm in too deep—I'm too far in love with him to back out…and he'll be hurt when I pass…"

Eric frowned, "It won't be hurt he's feelin'. It'll be love. Yeah, sure he'll miss ya an' there will be pain, but he won't be hurtin' like ya think. An' that is no excuse not ta have each other as long as ya can. Look at mortals. They do it everyday. They have babes an' then they have death. It's hard, but they manage. Spears will manage as well. Let him give ya this as a gift. So ya don' die unloved."

"I wouldn't, anyway…" Alan reached over cupping Eric's cheek, "You have always loved me…you are more of a family to me than my actual family had been."

"That ain't the same, Al an' ya know it," Eric shot back.

"But it's not like dying alone…" he pointed out, "I'm just saying I'm nervous is all…and when I'm with him I feel so…so…fluffy-minded. I can't think straight and then the next thing I know we are doing…things."

Eric chuckled, "That's cause yer in love, Al. All rhyme an' reason flies righ' out the window."

"…Like how he's the one in a hospital bed, but he's more worried of what happened to me?"

"So, the ol' bastard does have heart, after all. I was beginnin' ta believe it was impossible fer him ta truly feel a thing under tha' cold exterior of 'is," Eric teased, but quickly he forced the brunet to look up at him and spoke more seriously, "Yeah, Al. That sounds like a man in love. A man who wants ta protect an' keep the one he loves safe."

"It's foolish. I should be worrying about him." Alan sighed, "That demon…it was playing with me. But Grell and William…that didn't look like it simply happened…"

Sighing, Eric stood and moseyed over to the window. He raised his arm and leaned against the sill. He Ggazed out over the lawns, a trace of fear behind each word he spoke, "I know. I saw Sutcliff through the window one mornin', before they realized I was in the hall lookin' at him. I never seen a demon torment like that. Kill, even maim...but this was different. I read the report ya an' Ron wrote up. I can't get over the fact it sewed his lips shut. It didnna even look like Grell lyin' in tha' hospital room."

"I didn't want to worry William…he's already stressed about Grell…but…I think whatever that demon is… it was personal. It wanted Will and Grell to suffer…"

Eric turned his head and stared back at the brunet. "I don' disagree with ya on that'."

"…I want to know why… I want to find out why…"

"Now don' ya go runn' after shadows, Al," Eric stressed as he turned and marched back up to the brunet, "Last thing we all need is ya gettin' hurt by this thing. We'll get ta the bottom of this, together. Ya need ta stay calm an' keep yar emotions out of it."

"I'm not foolish and rash, Eric. I know it'd be stupid to do so."

"Ya better not be. I don' want ta loose another friend ta this thing. This bloody shadow walker," Eric let out a sigh, then inquired, "Ya got any ideas?"

Alan shook his head, "None…that's why it's so frustrating."

"Wha' has Spears told ya about this damn thing? Anythin' useful? I know he has no' filled out a report yet. Was there any warnin'?" The blond questioned as he tried to think of a plan, hoping against hope Will had given some kind of useful information to the brunet.

"He said he kept finding signs…smells. But Grell who was next to him did not—at all." Alan sighed, "Everything's so inconsistent… We don't know what happened and what was imagined, if it was, or if we are forgetting something… I can't even tell for sure if what I remember is what really happened…"

"Well I guess that 's a start." Eric scratched the back of his head. "I can't imagine we'd be forgettin' somethin'. An' Spears, he don' generally mistake things."

"He's also not usually injured, hospitalized, and slightly traumatized when things happen." Alan sighed, "I'm not saying I don't believe him, but until Grell wakes up…we have nothing to compare Will's story to, which we need to do."

"Are ya sayin' Al, ya don' trust wha' he be sayin'? I know he's been roughed up, but do ya really believe he could have gotten confused?" Eric watched his friend closely. William had always been like a drill sergeant to them all. He couldn't imagine his boss hallucinating, but then again this was an odd case. Perhaps the man had finally snapped.

"No, I trust him. I'm just trying to keep to the books. In investigations we are supposed to look at every angle we have and compare them. And this…well, to be honest it's unlike any demonic problem we have on record. I did some research on it the other day in the Library. We need to be sure…it may not even be a demon, there are other types of spirits in the world…"

"Wha' do ya wan' me ta do then? An' I suggest we keep this on the down low. I don' wan' a lot of reapers involved. 'Specially if this be a personal vendetta," Eric thrummed the desk in frustration.

"I don't know." Alan sighed, running a hand through his hair, "There isn't much we can do right now."

* * *

**To be continued...**


	15. Chapter 15

Lily looked up from her reading as a knock sounded on the door of her apartment. Granted that this was not originally her apartment, but she had removed the reaper problem and made it her own. Removing any trace that another had ever lived there before her. Of course she kept the furniture, the food and the nick-knacks, but photographs, letters anything that would identify the former, had been thrown away with the body. To her great relief the reaper who had lived there, as close in stature to herself, allowing her to have a wardrobe and no issues should arise with pesky neighbors or landlords. Besides she shouldn't be there to long. She hated being in the reaper realm and would take care of what she needed to as fast as she could.

"Just a moment." She hollered in response as she stood from her chair. Her leg was still bothering her, but not as much as she had let on and so she walked with little problem to the door, but decided to act as though she was still quite uncomfortable for whomever stood behind the door.

With a click and a clank, she withdrew the deadbolt and unlocked the door, swinging it open. "Mister Humphries, how good to see you again." She greeted, "Won't you come in?"

"Thank you." Alan greeted her with a smile, "How are you fairing this evening?"

Slipping inside, the brunet closed the door behind himself, "How's your leg feeling?"

Hobbling back over to the chair, Lily resumed her seat and shrugged. "I am still in quite a bit of pain, but I think I am starting to heal. It has let up some. In truth, I wish I hadn't fallen in the first place. I really did not need this headache."

"Well, at least you were with me and had help." Alan said, following her, "If you want, I could make you up some tea if you have it."

She smiled warmly, "That sounds lovely. I could use a cup of tea. Umm there should be a box on the shelf near the stove. And the kettle is of course on top of the stove."

"Okay." Alan smiled gently and walked into the kitchen to put on the tea.

"Am I in trouble at work? For missing today?" She inquired as she placed her sore leg back upon the foot rest.

"No, no, you are perfectly fine." He called over his shoulder, "Don't worry so much."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Lily relaxed more. "I am so glad. I am just so nervous to being transferred to this department. And I am so young. I just want to make a good impression. But getting hurt... I just wish I hadn't had to miss my second day there."

"It's fine, really. Everyone understood." Alan said, steeping the tea in the hot water and bringing the tea tray out to the sitting room.

She smiled, "Thank you Mister Humphries. Now what about you?" She held her cup in her hands and blew at the surface of the tea, to cool it.

"What about me?" Alan asked, making up his own cup.

"This morning, your visit to whomever called you this morning? How did it go?" She inquired as she took a sip.

"Oh." Alan flushed, "It went well."

"I am glad to hear that. May I ask who or is that being too nosy?" Lily prodded curiously.

The brunet flushed darker, though he tried to hold it back, "I…was just Visiting William Spears."

Liliy's eyes grew round. "Spears? Mister Humphries are you and Mister Spears an item?" She blushed, her hand covering her mouth. "Pardon, that is none of my business. My apologies. I forgot myself."

The man seemed even more flustered. He wouldn't lie about his feelings for his lover, but they didn't want their relationship to cause problems around the office in the way of gossip. "Please don't tell people at work. We don't want production to go down because of gossip." He pleaded.

"Like I have anyone to tell. I am new, remember? You're the only reaper I have met, yet. I promise your secret is safe with me." She winked as she took a sip of her tea. Swallowing, Lily giggled, "So... how long have you two been together?"

"Not long. We only recently got together. I'm afraid it's my fault. He wasn't one for going out, and I insisted that he gave it a try – to relax…ended up leading him into a trap for hearts, unknowingly."

As she lowered her cup she inquired, "I take it then you, yourself were not looking for a relationship? Sounds like you ensnared both of yourselves."

He nodded, "I hadn't wanted to fall in love and leave behind a heartbroken lover later…but that plan didn't last…with some help of alcohol to loosen out tongues…and self control."

Lily giggled, "You got drunk? How sinful. Tell me, who seduced who, first?"

The brunet glanced away, "Depends on who you talk to… He'll say it was me with the way I read words from a book… but he was the one to kiss me…"

"Perhaps you seduced each other. I find that quite romantic, myself." Lily winked, a wicked smile appearing upon her lips.

"Maybe…" Alan flushed, watching his tea as he stirred it with a small spoon.

"Can I ask you something? How long did it take for you to adjust being a reaper? I feel like I am never going to. I feel anxious all the time. My mind can't seem to fathom eternity and I... I just don't think I can do this, be a reaper." She confided. Feeling chilled she pulled her blanket up over shoulders, pulling it tight around her body.

"Just…don't think on it. Just live life as it comes." He suggested, "That's what most reapers do…"

"I'm not sure I can. I miss my mother to much. She was my best friend. I want to see her again." Lily's eyes began to water. On the verge of tears she tried to wipe her eyes, hoping to stop them before they fell.

"That part…never gets easier." Alan apologized.

She sniffled as she looked back up at the brunet. "I wish I had not gained my memories. It's so painful. I even have nightmares, worrying about her."

"…I had a sister once…an older sister…She died before me, though…I watched as she was killed…That memory haunts my dreams quite a bit.' Alan admitted.

"A sister? I wonder what it would have been like to have a sibling. I was an only child. My father left us. My mother never knew why. She took me to live with my Grandparents. They were very strict with me. Always trying to protect me. I suppose there is a sense of irony in my death then." Lily ran her finger around the rim of her cup, causing a slight hum to occur.

"Death…is bitter." Alan sighed, "Always."

Continuing to run her finger along the rim of her cup, Lily closed her eyes for a moment. She reflected on her own, true childhood. There was a sense of truth to the tale she weaved for the unknowing reaper. But she had no known grandparents, and yes, her father had left her with her mother, but who could blame the ruler of Hell. However she had not lied about her mother. The exception being it was her mother who had passed and not herself. She did at times long to see her again. It was not of love or devotion, but a sense of honor and knowing that she was who had created her. Breathed life into her. Taught her to be the Demon she had become. But centuries had passed and her mother had since long been gone.

"Yes Mister Humphries, I quite agree. Death is bitter... it is cold and unforgiving."

Alan placed a hand over his heart, gripping his vest's fabric as he thought of his own promised death. Truly, no one was safe from Death…even death itself –reapers.

"All we can do is appreciate our loved ones when we can." He mumbled with a sad sigh.

* * *

 

Will sat back in his desk chair, staring out the grand window of his office. It had been a week since he was released from the hospital and cleared to return to work. His arm now held up by a sling, its cast removed. Alan had spent the time at his home helping with common things and making sure he was settled before attending work each day. He was still unable to see Grell and learn of the damage he has sustained from the incident.

Eric was still the head for the department, but Will had decided he was ready and with doctor's clearance, had chosen to return to work. He was tired of being bed bound and idle. It was not his nature to be lazy and spend all day doing nothing.

There had been no reports of any suspicious activities on reaps and the department seemed to be getting back to normal. So he sat and watched the pigeons gather in the trees outside. It was a beautiful day and dispatch officers sat beneath the tree enjoying their lunches. However, Will felt uneasy. Since his release, nightmares had begun to plague his peaceful sleep. Grell's body often times was replaced with Alan's and upon waking he would cuddle up against the brunet, clinging, almost desperate to be sure he was fine. Even now he was imagining that whatever this creature was that the events were long from being over. That it was just a matter of time before something else arose. His thoughts were interrupted when a soft knock sounded from the door.

Clearing his throat he replied, "Come in."

The door opened with a small squeak, and Alan stuck his head inside and smiled at William. "Good Afternoon, glad to be back at work?" Alan asked as he pushed the door open further and stepped inside, followed closely by a young woman William had yet to meet. "This is Miss Lily—I had told you about her." He introduced.

Will perked up and smiled seeing the brunet enter. But it quickly dissolved into his business face as he nodded at the young lady following the senior reaper into the spacious office.

"I am and Settling back in slowly. It feels strange to be back and yet familiar. And it is finally nice to meet you Miss Downs. I hear you had an exciting first couple of days here."

"Yes. I am terribly sorry if I have made a bad impression with the dispatch, but I seem to be finding my footing now. And Mister Humphries has been quite gracious with me." She smiled as she replied. She glanced up briefly at Alan and then turned her attention back to her boss. "I am very glad to see you are well and to finally meet you, Mister Spears."

Alan slipped his morning reports onto William's desk for inspection whenever William got to them as the two gave their introductions. "It seems her paperwork has gotten lost in the transfer. Eric has yet to locate them." He explained. "So we don't know exactly where she should be working. We've had her doing things here and there as needed."

"Though it is rare; it does happen from time to time. My apologies Miss Downs. I believe Mister Humphries has taken on the roll of Mentor for the time being?" Will inquired looking at the brunet.

"He has been wonderful and forgiving. I pester him a lot. But he always makes time to check on me and see how I am doing. I appreciate it greatly." Lily informed Will, trying to hide the faint blush that painted her cheeks as she spoke. "He is very kind."

"It is the least I could do to help." Alan reassured her.

"Mister Humphries if you are so inclined, I would like you to continue to act as her mentor for the time being. If, for any reason you are unable to," He turned and glanced at the young reaper. "Miss Downs you will report directly to me. I will then act as your mentor in Mister Humphries steadfast. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly Sir." Lily nodded.

"Mister Humphries do you have any objections or are we in agreement?" asked Will as he tried to hide the longing in his eyes.

"That would be perfectly fine, sir." Alan said with a respectful nod. They were, after all, at work and had a level of professionalism to keep. Though he was quite glad that William was finally out of the hospital and back where he belonged.

"I look forward to getting to know you Miss Downs." Will said as he looked back up at Lily. "If all that Mister Humphries says about you is true, then I believe we shall get along swimmingly and your career with the dispatch, long. As soon as things are sorted out and we can determine which department you are suppose to be assigned, we will provide you with your own space. I apologize that we could not accommodate you otherwise."

Lily smiled at Will, "It is no trouble, honestly. To be truthful... I feel better working with Mister Humphries. He's helping me adjust. I am still not use to the knowledge that I am no longer mortal. I miss my... My apologies, Sir."

Will felt pang of sympathy. The poor girl look like a damn about to burst. He cleared his throat and spoke again, "Perhaps you should take a moment for yourself. I would like to speak with Mister Humphries for a moment, privately."

"Thank you, Sir." Lily bowed her head and rushed from the office.

Alan closed the door behind her and turned back to look at William, leaning back against the door, "I'm glad you are back and feeling much better." He smiled.

Lowering his head, Will sighed. "Everything feels odd. I feel out of sorts here. I believe I was away too long. It is too quiet. It's making me uneasy and there has been no more reports on that thing running around. No more attacks or sightings. I could swear something is brewing and yet there are no signs. Do you believe it was just random, both of our encounters?"

"It could have been. It could have moved on. We are still exorcizing precaution, but if nothing more happens, then it's a good thing." Alan said as he walked over and sat on the edge of his lover's desk, taking his hand, "And once Grell gets better, everything will be back to normal. –well, almost."

"What do you mean almost?" Will stared up at the brunet and his eyebrow twitched. "Is there something you need to tell me Mister Humphries? Something I should be made aware of?"

"Well, Eric kind of—"

Alan was interrupted by a sudden commotion outside the office.

"No, I'll not 'cover for you' while you sneak out to go check on Grell!" Ron's voice shouted, followed by a hard object hitting the door.

Alan jumped up and ran to the door, opening it to find Ronald had thrown a paperweight at Eric. A large dent in William's office door.

"Do your own work, Slingby! I won't do it for you. What kind of idiot do you think I am?" The young blond growled before turning and stomping down the hall to the lifts.

Alan bent over and picked up the chipped glass paperweight, turning to show William, "…almost."

"What in the name of Thanatos is going on out there?" William inquired as he approached the door to find a disheveled Eric standing just outside his office.

The blond slowly turned around to face the newly returned Dispatch manager. A wayward grin on his face, "Hey there boss. Welcome back. I was jus' talkin' ta Knox is all. Nothin' to worry 'bout. He jus' is not inna good mood taday."

"Yet Mister Slingby there happens to be a dent in my door. Courteous of Mister Knox's out burst and so I would prefer you explain the situation as to why one of my filed officers seems to be royally pissed at his senior... and behaving in a manner which violates reaper policy." Will demanded his right brow quirking as he glared at the bumbling senior field officer.

"It ain't any of yar damned business, Spears." Eric snapped and bolted down the hall to his own office, slamming the door behind him.

Will turned his attention to Alan. "I suppose you have some insight as to what is going on around my Dispatch?"

"…Well…" Alan sighed and closed the door before looking at the paperweight again, "Eric broke up with Ronald…turns out he's harbored feelings for someone else, and…I guess Ronald is taking it a lot harder than Eric lead me to believe when he told me."

"Who? Is it Sutcliff...?" Will's brow twitched at the idea, but he cleared his throat and walked back to his desk. Resuming his seat he looked over at his lover. "You seem upset yourself over this. Does it bother you that Slingby has grown fond of the redhead or is that he no longer harbors feelings for Knox?"

"…It's that…" Alan sighed and sat down in one of the chairs facing Will's desk, "He hurt Ron…really hurt him. It came out of nowhere. No warnings or anything. One day he lived for Ronald's happiness, and then the next…all he is thinking about is Grell. It's like Ron had meant nothing to him. Ronald doesn't trust people easily like that…he'd been hurt before and…I feel like the way this happened has done lasting damage to Ron."

"Has either one confided in you or is this your own heart speaking, because you were fond of Slingby and Knox together? Also when did this happen? I am a bit confused. The way Grell was behaving before the incident, he did not seem to be interested in anyone else. He was hounding me for a date." Will asked as he flipped open the file laying before him and began to skim over the pages.

"That's why it's so sudden—not even Grell knows. Eric broke it off after you and Grell were attacked." Alan sighed, "I've talked to Eric about it briefly, but not Ronald. But the boy has confided in me before. He's come to me for council from time to time when he was just out of the academy. He felt…he needed to talk to someone about his death. He had been worried working in the field would make his memories come back to haunt him…"

Will looked up, his eyes met the brunet's. He sighed, then pushed back his chair and stood up. He made his way around his desk and sat down atop in front of Alan. He reached out and cupped his chin, extending his good arm. "Alan why are you so angry? It is not as if someone has broken your heart. I'm here. I'm with you and I am not leaving you. I know you have a fondness for Knox, but don't get involved. It's not your place."

"But he's hurting…and he's alone…"

"Alan... you can be there as a friend, but don't get too personal." William sighed. He could see the hurt in his lover's eyes and it caused him pain. Wanting to bring comfort to the smaller reaper, William stood up and pulled Alan into his embrace. "They will all be okay. You'll see. Just be a friend to Knox."

Alan sighed, leaning against his lover's chest, "…I can't help it…I know there is nothing I can do, but…I can't help but want to…"

"I know." Will whispered as he closed the distance between their mouths. "That inspires me. You inspire me."

Alan closed his eyes, pressing into the soft kiss, "Maybe…at least until he calms down a little… you could be easier on him work-wise?" he requested. "I'll pick up the slack, myself."

William didn't reply, only pulled the short brunet closer. He deepened the kiss. Their tongues melded together as he got lost in his lover's warm embrace. He didn't care about work for the first time ever. He didn't care if someone walked in the door and caught them on the clock. No, he just wanted and needed to feel Alan. Know he was there and safe. His. Nothing else mattered in the world at that moment. Just the two of them sharing an intimate moment.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	16. Chapter 16

There was the sound of a steady beep from a medical monitor tracking the beating of a heart. An I.V. drip hung off to the side, and wires and tubes ran from machines to the man laying still in the hospital bed. The room sterol and lonely, cut off from the normal sounds of the hospital.

It had been weeks since William had been released from his own hospital bed—but Grell still lay helpless. Clad in nothing but a thin gown, his long hair spread out under him on the white pillow, his face supporting a beard that had grown with a lack of maintenance to his looks.

But slowly, pale, makeup-less eyelids fluttered open, green and gold eyes darting around the colorless room as his brain tried to register where he was—and why.

* * *

 

"Spears." William answered the little black mobile phone, standard issue to all senior officers. Turning anxious as the caller identified them self, his grip tightening on the phone. "When?"

A moment passed as he listened to the answer. "I'll be right over."

Quickly he stood from his chair and donned his suit coat. Then tucked the phone into his breast pocket. Racing to the door he slipped his gloves on, then turned the brass knob. Nearly at a run he dashed down the corridor and to the lifts. About to step on the lift he felt a hand grab his shoulder.

"Sutcliff... he's awake aint he?"

The soft tenor of Eric's voice made, William sigh and nod. "I just got the call. I am headed there now."

"I'm comin' with ya, Spears." Eric informed. He was not about to sit and wait for news. When the lift doors opened he followed the brunet in.

* * *

 

The usually quiet halls of the hospital, third floor, were alive with loud protests, and a clatter as a tray was knocked to the floor out of a nurse's hands. Pills scattering across the floor along with a spilled cup of water and what was supposed to be a light meal for the likely starved reaper.

Two doctors and five nurses had gathered around his bed after the room had been opened, and for once, Grell Sutcliff seemed completely against the idea of having attention of five handsome men and two women, most of whom had set to holding him down when he tried ripping tubes and wires out of himself in a frenzy.

Calming him didn't seem to work, and the female doctor rushed to get a sedative. Not one that would cause him to pass out completely, but simply to immobilize him.

"Wha' the Hell?" Eric exclaimed as he and Will approached Grell's hospital room. Eric's eyes immediately falling on the redhead and the staff surrounding him as they peered in from the doorway. His blood ran cold for a brief moment before heating to a boil as he watched the redhead struggle and scream. He tried to push past William, but before he could take a step further into the room, Will had him around the chest.

"Slingby, calm down. Can you not see they are trying to restrain him, so he does not hurt himself or anyone else around him?" Will pointed out, gritting his teeth.

"Let me go, Spears." Eric protested, struggling against his boss' hold.

Softening his tone, William spoke once more. "Eric, let the doctors and nurses calm him first. You will do him no good if you rush over there at this moment." Will loosened his grip and urged the blond to the side of the hospital room. His hands not leaving the blond's arms, but no longer restricting him. "That's it. He just woke up. He is alive - be thankful for that. We will speak with the doctor first."

Slowly Eric nodded and succumbed to waiting and watching. His eyes, however, never left Grell's marred face. The damage evident. His precious, beautiful face now scarred. Eric's heart sank seeing the physical damage from the run-in with the mysterious demon. His blood simmered beneath the surface and he cursed the being that did this to Grell. Silently he vowed to destroy the demon that nearly cost the redhead his life.

"No—NO!" Grell screamed as he was pinned down and the doctor injected him with the sedative in his leg. The redhead's eyes slowly relaxed from their wild, wide gaze and he began to sink back into a relaxed state.

The nurses all resituated him into a more comfortable position and left to get back to what they were supposed to be doing. The one who had been holding the tray moving to get a refill for Grell's meds.

The two doctors sighed and the female left after giving her coworker a knowing look. Finally, Grell and the doctor assigned to Grell were alone with Eric and William.

Will released Eric and looked up at the doctor as he stopped before them. "I take it he woke unaware of his surroundings? What then is the status of his condition? And will he recover?"

"We're not sure…" the doctor sighed, marking a few things down on Grell's chart, "He seemed to be fine, if not dazed…but then the lights flickered." He pointed upwards at the bright white lights overhead, "And he got spooked and grew uncontrollable…"

"Can ya blame him? Jus' look at him. He's been beat from here ta Hell an' back again." Eric snapped as he pointed his finger at the redhead. "Can I at least go over there an speak with him? Ya have kept me from doin' so long enough. I think a familiar face might do him a world of good."

"Careful. We don't know the extent of mental damage this may have done to him. We haven't been able to run our tests yet due to the lights." The doctor cautioned him.

Eric didn't care, but he nodded anyways. Slowly he walked up to the hospital bed and looked down at the redhead. "Grell? It's me... Do ya recognize me?"

Will watched for a moment before returning his attention to the doctor. "The wounds... they did not heal completely?" He asked, puzzled. Like Eric he had noticed instantly that there was obvious damage to Grell's face. Normally wounds and injuries inflicted upon reapers healed quickly and without scarring. And though most of the wounds on Grell's face had healed, they had left irreparable disfigurements. William had never lay witness to such a case.

"Demonic venom." The doctor sighed, "Each wound had been infected, and the stitching across his mouth had been saturated in it. Sadly, we were left with two choices. Either inject an antidote into each wound which would clean out the venom but would also hinder his healing speed in those areas, or, we could have left the venom in, he would have healed, but he would have either died or started to turn. I do realize how much his looks mean to Mister Sutcliff, but my job is to save reaper lives. The scars may heal slowly over the next hundred years or so, but if it does, it will take a very long time. The venom had also been the reason we had him in isolation for so long. We needed to make sure while it was being handled that it would not infect anyone else."

While William and the doctor talked, Grell slowly lifted his gaze to look at Eric, a confused look crossing his face. Not that he didn't recognize the handsome Scotsman, but for why in Rhea's good name had he come to visit  _him_. He and Eric hadn't been very close at all, and the man was taken, so Grell had given up on the idea of having Slingby in his bed. There was no reason for him to be there.

Eric could see the confusion in the redhead's eyes, so he smiled and carefully sat down on the bed next to him. Though he itched to reach out and touch Grell, he restrained himself out of fear of frightening him. Instead he softly began to speak.

"I'm not goin' ta hurt ya, Grell. In fact, I've been checkin' on ya everyday. The docs though, they not been lettin' me in ta keep ya company. Dispatch is goin' ta be happy tha' ya have woke. Everyone's been hopin' ya'd be returnin' ta us soon."

William continued to watch, even as he listened to what the doctor told him. Inside his stomach churned and he felt sick. "I see. I take it someone from Psych we'll be down within a day or two to begin evaluations?"

The doctor nodded, "They have been notified."

William turned his head and looked the doctor in the eye. "I would like a full report on his evaluation. I need to have some idea as if there is any hope for his recovery or if I need to put in a request for a permanent replacement. We have a temp, but it takes time to locate full time replacements. If there is no possibility of him returning, I need to let the Higher-ups know."

"Of course. As is required for all psyche evaluations of working reapers. I'll make sure it is sent to you as soon as possible."

Grell continued to stare at the blond with a blank look on his face for a long moment before finally speaking, "Why?" The simple question held a bit of an edge to it.

"Umm..." Eric gulped and ran his fingers through his hair. "'cause I've been worried. Not ta mention ya have been there for me through all those rough patches I was havin' with Ron. Ya did na have ta be an' yet ya were. I know ya ain't got no family here, so...so I wanted ta be there fer ya."

Slowly Eric slid his hand over the bed sheets and touched the tips of Grell's fingers with his own and whispered, "I care abou' ya."

Grell yanked his fingers away by curling them under his palm as his movement range was quite restricted and it was too much work to move more than that. "Lies!" he hissed, " _Lies_!"

Eric's eyes widened from the withdrawn contact of Grell's fingers. The word, 'lies' piercing his ears. "No, Grell, I do care an' I have been here everyday fer ya. I've tried ta fight my way in. Jus' ta keep ya company, but they wouldna let me. I was forced ta always sit outside yer room."

Hearing the blond's voice elevate and grow a level louder, Will looked back to the bed. He could not see Eric's face, but he could sense that Grell had reacted to something the blond had whispered to him. Stepping around the doctor he marched up behind Eric. His eyes instantly meeting Grell's as he looked over the blond's shoulder and down at the fiery redhead.

Haunted green eyes lifted and widened when they traced up William's form. A dark shadow seemed to be attached to the senior reaper, surrounding him in a shimmering darkness –and Grell shrieked, " _DEMON! DEVIL! DEVIL GET AWAY!_ "

Puzzled Eric looked up at the Dispatch senior, only to be met with the same puzzled look on William's face.

"Grell?" William slowly spoke his name.

Eric turned back to the redhead and added, "Grell... tha's the boss. Don' ya recognize him? He don' care fer demons, remember?"

" _GET IT AWAY_!" The redhead screeched, managing to move to the far edge of the hospital bed. The guard rail being the only reason he didn't fall to the floor.

"Mister Spears…perhaps you should step away from Mister Sutcliff for now…" The doctor suggested.

Nodding, Will did as he was requested and stepped back to his previous station in the room; the back wall near the door. "My apologies. I never imagined he would see me as a demon. I was quite taken aback by such a response."

Inside, William was not only surprised, but in some small fraction, hurt. Grell and he had known each other for many years. The redhead always hanging on to his every last word and movement. Though he had spent most of those years annoyed by every breath that past over Grell's lips, in recent weeks he had felt a pang of regret in the way he had chosen to treat his former partner. Now, Grell was frightened of him. Perhaps residual of their experience with the unique being that had harmed them. Mentally, he shook his head.

"Grell, calm down, please. Ya don' want ta hurt yerself. Come on. I won't let nothin' hurt ya no more. Yer safe with me." Eric said gently. Slowly he raised his arm and offered his hand to the redhead. "Don' be afraid, Grell. Take my hand. Let me help ya."

The red reaper looked back to the blond, seeming to shake his head without moving it, his scarred lips parted and eyes wide before he broke down, tears soon rolling down his cheeks and into the red facial hair covering his jaw.

Instinctively, Eric moved further onto the bed. Leaning forward, he wrapped his arms around the weeping redhead and pulled him into a tight embrace. He could feel Grell's body react, but he clung tightly to him, whispering. "It's alrigh', Grell. I got ya. I ain't gonna let no demons get ya again. Not them, not anyone."

Slowly, very slowly, Grell began to relax, sobbing into Eric's shoulder until tiny hiccups started to sound.

"Tha's it. Yer safe now." Eric cooed, laying his cheek against the top of Grell's crimson head.

Meanwhile, William watched silently alongside the doctor. A sigh of relief as Grell gave into Eric's comfort. Once more he looked over at the doctor. "I should be going. I request that Mister Slingby be allowed to visit with Mister Sutcliff as often as he likes or Mister Sutcliff allows him. Good day Doctor."

Pausing at the door, Will glanced back at the two reapers. He smirked and took a deep breath. His phone going off as soon as he entered the hallway.

"Come on, come onnnn, Pick up your damn phone, senpai!" Ronald's voice drifted through the phone before William even had a chance to speak.

"Spears." William answered as usual, striding down the blinding white halls of the Reaper hospital. A soft sigh passing his lips, before Ronald's voice met his ears, causing him to freeze dead center of the hallway. "What did you just say?"

"I said I lost Alan-senpai!" Ron repeated his words, "No idea what happened! He was right here helping me collect all these souls and then—gone! PHFFT! No more Humphries!" The young blond sounded panicked.

"I'm on my way!" Will replied excitedly as he took off at a run and exiting the hospital before opening a portal to the mortal realm.

* * *

 

Quickly he found the Mansion where Ronald had called from. The place smelled from a think layer of sulfur. Tiny fires illuminated parts of the destroyed building. A body laid mutilated on the door step. Will raised his hands to his mouth, forming a circle around his lips.

"Knox?!" He hollered as loud as he could.

No response. The place seemed void of anyone still alive as William slipped inside, searching for Ronald who had called him. Suddenly, there was a crunch; the sound of plastic breaking under William's foot as he unknowingly stepped on Ronald's work-issued mobile phone.

He stopped and knelt down. Balancing on one leg as he crouched over the rubble and picked up the custom plated orange phone. The screen was cracked. The back light illuminating, displaying the last number dialed. It was William's number and he was less than pleased to see the nickname chosen for it. "Bossy-Senpai". However, William quickly dismissed the annoyance as a coldness washed over him, like a bucket of freezing water. The mansion was burning, yet the atmosphere was the opposite of hot.

His pulse quickened as he stood. His eyes began to roam over the destroyed entry hall. No other bodies were in sight. And there was no Ronald. William's gut twisted. The only sounds were his heavy breathing and the distant crackling from the fires in different parts of the mansion.

"What happened here?" he whispered to himself.

Wasting no more time, he clicked the emergency alert button on Ronald's phone, summoning back up. Code ordered that all Reapers were to wait for back up, but one never knew how long they would take to arrive. Will could not wait for them and ventured further into the mansion. His scythe materializing in his hand as he headed for the stairs.

There was a body lying midway up the grand staircase. It was a maid. Her eyes removed from her sockets. blood crusting around the open orifices. Her lips were sewn shut as well, just as Grell's had been. Blood had seep down her chin and her hands were sewn together, painting them in crimson. Her clothing was scorched, but her body was not burned. Her feet were cut off at the ankles and missing. William turned away as he passed her body. The contents of his lunch threatening to come up from the bottom reaches of his stomach.

As Will reached the second floor landing, he called Ronald's name again. Smoke lingered in the corridor that led to the sleeping quarters of the house. It was thick and made visibility nigh existent. Cautious he headed into the dark, ash-covered hallway; calling out the blond's name ever so many steps, desperate to find the effervescent, young junior officer before it was too late.

A pained groan finally sounded in William's ears, drifting from a room at the end of the long hall. The wallpaper was burnt and peeling from the walls the closer William moved towards the sound. The doorway was charred black and missing it's door.

Inside, appeared to be a bedroom. Grand, expensive furniture overturned and broken, and only the four-poster bed seemed untouched. It's curtains drawn all around it.

The groan sounded again, "S-Sen-pai..."

When the curtains were cautiously parted, Ronald was reveled; not on the bed, but over it. Pinned to the wall at the head of the great king-sized bed, his blood draining from his chest and hands where three wicked metal poles of sorts had been speared through, crucifying him to the wall. The whole bed was drenched in reaper blood, red so deep it looked black in areas.

Ronald lifted his head off his chest, his face ghostly pale and blood dripping down his chin. His eyes met Williams before he spoke, "Sor-ry..." he coughed, blood sputtering from his lips, "I-it's gone...n-now..."

William stumbled back at the ghastly sight. In all the years he had worked in the field, no reaper had ever been,  _crucified_. Without hesitation he jumped onto the bed and began to examine Ronald's body. Assessing not only the damage his body had sustained, but a way to safely get him down.

"Ronald, you're going to be alright. I am going to get you down. I need you to stay calm and try not to move any more than you have to. I have already called for back up," he instructed the blond, his hand delicately encircling the rod piercing Ronald's right arm.

"Not…panicked…" The blond muttered weakly, head dropping back down and his chin resting on his chest, "You are… But…Its…okay…I don't…don't mind…" he coughed again, his blood splattering William's suit. "F-find…Al—an… sen-p-p-pai…"

Ignoring the blood and the request, William continued on with his assessment. Gently, he instructed Ronald not to speak unless need be. There was no reason for him to and it could cause more damage in the long run. After a moment longer, William decided the best course of action was to break the rods and slip the young reaper from them.

"Ronald, listen me. I am now going to snap the rods just before they enter your body. I will start with your hands and then your chest. Then I am going to slide each hand free followed lastly, your chest. I know you are weak and tired but when I tell you to hold onto me. I want you to try your best to do so. Understand?"

Only a small hum answered, Ronald's eyes closing as his body began to shut down. "You'll regret, you'll regret…" he whispered, almost in a sing-songy way.

"I want to find Alan as much as you want me to, Mister Knox..." Will began as the sound of metal snapping interrupted his reply. Using his death scythe, William cut the first spearing rod to Ronald's right hand.

"But you see. I can't leave you here. I need to get you to the medics. I need to know what happened and right now you cannot speak. So just keep quiet," Will ordered as he moved to the other side of the blond and snapped the metal poll piercing his left hand.

"The calm before the storm…is the darkness you can see…" The blond muttered, seeming to ramble on unknowingly and making no sense to the older reaper, "Love is pain…downfall…spiral…spiraling down into hell…"

Will looked up at the blond as he was about to cut the third rod. Raising his eye brow in question he chided the crucified reaper, "Mister Knox, what on Earth are you talking about? And did I not instruct you to remain quiet till you see a physician? Please refrain from speaking or moving. I will have you down in a moment."

But there was something odd in the way the young reaper spoke. It sent chills down William's spine. It was as if the blond was not speaking himself. His words were eerie and haunting. Still, William had no time to ponder the meaning any further. Without more delay he cut the last rod and looked back up at Ronald.

At last, Ronald fell silent, not even grunting in pain when the last rod was cut and William readied him to be lifted off as best he could. But his body was limp, serving no help in the task other than being a dead weight in William's arms.

Will grunted as he stepped back and carefully laid the blond down upon the blood soaked bed. Resting for a moment, he removed his coat and covered Ronald's body as it began to shake.

"Mister Knox, stay with me. I know you are tired and you most likely feel very cold, but I need you to look at me and stay awake. Can you do that for me?" Will asked leaning over the blond's broken body.

"Don't…care anymore…" Ron breathed, his eyes staying closed. His will to stay awake was all but gone.

Down below, the sounds of the backup arriving sounded, "Dispatch officer Knox?" a voice called out.

Will turned his head towards the door, hearing other voices call the blond's name.

"Here! He is in here and he needs a medic, stat!" Will responded before looking back down at the injured reaper. "Mister Knox, hold on, help has arrived. We will get you seen and taken care of. I swear I will find Mister Humphries. Just do not give up."

The group of reapers who had responded to the call for backup ran up towards William's voice, "Mister Spears-! What happened?" gasped one of the reapers, rushing forward. "Here, I'll hurry him to the hospital." He said, carefully scooping Ronald up into his arms.

"Be careful. The rest of you divide into pairs and search the grounds top to bottom. Mister Humphries is missing and we need to find him as soon as possible. This was the work of the mysterious demon and we all could be in grave danger. You see anything alert the rest of the team. Do you understand?" Will laid out the orders, eyeing each reaper that had arrived as part of the back-up team.

"Yes, sir!" the team said, quickly pairing up to follow orders and begin their search for the missing reaper as Ronald was rushed to the hospital.

The minutes ticked by as the reapers combed over the site carefully. Staying on alert the entire time—and leaving William to search on his own.

The third floor of the mansion was nothing more than a large attic and William had decided he would search it on his own. It was divided into two halves; one for storage, the other a nursery. He chose the storage half first, the fire burning brightly all around him, but he discovered nothing but old paintings and trunks full of clothing and other family heirlooms. Or at least what was left of them. To his dismay there was no sign of his lover.

The nursery was dark, the light fading as evening had settled over London. It was dustier and full of furniture. The fire had done little damage to this particular portion of the house. He looked around, cautiously. At one time the room would have been full of young life, now it sat tattered and scorched where the fire had just licked at the surface.

Slowly he made his away across the creaking floor where he saw a crib with a dust cover over the top of it. Holding his breath he removed the canvas. His eyes dilated in anticipation, but the crib was empty. He scanned the room as he turned on his spot. A soft moan caught his ear and his eyes followed it to a child's bed, against the far wall. Quickly he moved towards it and stopped at the foot. Like the crib, it too had a dust cover covering it. As fast as he could move he pulled the canvas from it.

"Alan!" Will exclaimed as he rushed to the brunet's side and leant down to touch his bruised cheek.

"Will..? What—what happened?" Alan groaned, closing his eyes and moving a hand to his head, "Where's Ron..? Last I remember he and I were collecting souls, and…oh—ow!" He hissed in pain as his fingers brushed over a nasty gash on his temple.

"Ron's been taken to the hospital. He was injured and unable to continue here," Will replied as he moved to peer at the wound on Alan's head. The light, however, was to dull to make out how bad the injury was. "I need to get you out of here and to the hospital. I can't make out how severe the wound is."

"No…not yet, Will…let me just…breathe for a moment…"He sat up and leaned against William, breathing in his scent and closing his eyes, "My heart feels like it's pounding and I don't want to risk triggering an attack right now…you understand, don't you?" he looked up at William with wide eyes.

Will started to protest, but held his tongue and nodded. "Alright, but as soon as you feel a bit more steady we must move. The mansion is still afire and we are in the attic. It is dangerous for us to linger in here. At least let me get you outside as soon as you feel steady enough to move...even if you are still not ready to portal out of here.

"Just, hold me, Will." Alan said, hugging him and pulling him closer until he was seated on William's lap. A captivating scent catching William's senses as the smaller male nuzzled his neck, "I just…need to know you are here for me…"

Will's eyes slowly closed as he rested his cheek upon the brunet's head. His arms wrapping tightly around Alan's small frame. He knew it was dangerous staying there, but he could not upset his lover by moving him against his will. No, he would give him a moment.

"I am, Alan. I will always be here for you."

"No matter what?" Alan whispered sensually against the flesh of his neck, kissing him, "You'll love me no matter what?" he kissed him again, "Even when I'm dying in your arms?" another kiss, a little more lustful, "Even as I take your heart to my grave?" and with that, suddenly Alan's kisses turned into a strong bite, fangs sinking deep into Will's neck as his eyes glowed magenta.

Gasping, from the pain, William was unable to react to the attack on his neck. Alan's body turned to mist and disappeared right before his eyes. His hand trembled as he reached up and touched his neck. The area was sore, but he could detect no wound. It was as if his flesh had never been touched. The only evidence was the pain beneath the surface. The room spun for a moment as he let his eyes roam over the room. It was empty and there was no sign anyone else had been in the nursery with him.

"Sir!" one of the back-up officers ran up the stairs, "We found Humphries! He was outside in the gardens."

Will turned his head towards the door and stood up. His head began to spin from the sudden movement and his legs gave out from under him. Falling hard to the floor, the weak beams gave way and collapsed under his weight. Will crashed to the second floor.

"... _oof_..." Will grunted, the wind knocked out of him. His eyes shot wide and he cursed, "Shit!" Quickly he Curled into a ball, just as more boards fell on top of him.

"Sir!" The officer jumped down after him, landing beside him and began to clear away the debris, "Are you alright? Is the smoke getting to you? It was quite thick up there. –Here, let me help you." He helped William up, "Fresh air to clear your head will be best, sir."

Will nodded and took the reaper's hand. "I think you are right. You said you found Mister Humphries, take me to him. I can rest after I see him."

The young reaper nodded and helped him up and steadied him before leading him out to where the rest of the team was waiting for them out a safe distance from the burning building. Alan sitting on a bench looking dazed, but over-all well.

Alan looked up, "William? Are you okay? You look pale…"

William pulled his arm from around the reaper's neck and rushed to Alan. He dropped down onto the bench next to the brunet, laying his head against Alan's chest and his arms slipping around his waist.

"You are alright? I was worried after finding Ronald," he said, "you were gone and I thought I had lost you."

"They told me Ron's in bad shape—I'm fine…I don't know what happened. One moment I was collecting records from one of the victims, the next Officer Weston was shaking me awake in the flower patch over there by the pond…Will…William, look at me—" Alan said, frowning in worry as to how William was acting. He tilted William's head up to look at him, "Your eyes are red—and you are shaking…"

Will's throat seized and he coughed. His chest began to ache and he felt sick to his stomach, but he did his best to hide the turmoil inside, by smiling sheepishly.

"I'm fine. I think...I may have taken in too much smoke. It was very dusty and smoky in the attic. Perhaps some rest is in order."

Alan nodded, combing Will's hair with his fingers, "You could use a shower as well…"

"We can wrap up the investigation, sir. You should go check in on Mister Knox." Said one of the officers.

Will nodded and turned back to the brunet. "I'll shower after I have seen that Mister Knox is going to be alright. Though I am not sure you should accompany me. He was badly injured by the creature." Will paused a moment before asking, "Was it just the two of you on assignment or was there anyone else with you, that has not been accounted for?"

"Just the two of us." Alan said, "And of course I'll be going with you! I'm worried about Ronald. I'll write up my incident report after I make sure he'll be alright."

"I don't think that is a good idea." Will cupped Alan's face, his voice growing grave. "He was beaten pretty bad. I don't want you becoming upset. I just want you to go home and rest. After I see to Mister Knox. I will join you."

"Why? Because of my condition? William, I'll be fine, and I'll worry more if I don't check on him myself," Alan said, crossing his arms, "I know you don't want to see me have another attack, but you can't coddle me."

William sighed and lowered his head, placing his forehead against Alan's. "Yes, I am worried you might have an attack. But I am not trying to coddle you. What this creature did to Ronald, rivals what it did to Grell. I don't want you to see what happened."

"All the more reason for me to check on him! You, Grell, Ronald—it could have happened to me, too! It should have. I don't know why it didn't…why I just woke up in the mud rather than right in there with Ronald…It was my job to protect him as the senior officer during this collection. He's still a rookie – I failed him."

"No...no, Alan. You did no such thing." Will kissed the brunet's forehead. He didn't care if anyone saw. He had come close to losing his lover. The first person he was ready to give his heart to. Entering the mansion had been the most frightening thing in his existence. The thought of losing this being in front of him, after finally letting someone in...letting him in. He shook his head and opened his eyes.

"You couldn't have protected him," whispered William. "You did not fail him."

"I still need to see that he is going to be alright—with my own eyes." Alan stated firmly, "I can handle it. I'm not as delicate as Eric makes me out to be."

"I know you are not weak, Alan. But this thing..." Will nearly growled as he looked away and stood up. "This vile creature... it... you didn't see, Alan."

Will looked back down at the brunet, then once more sat next to him, cupping his face. "Alan...it crucified Ronald. It had him crucified to the wall."

"I'm more at risk sitting here on this bench than I am going into our realm where it's safe from demons and checking on Ronald." Alan insisted, "And you're right—I didn't see what it did to Ronald. But I did see what it did to you and Grell. I know what it's capable of. I'm going to make sure he's okay, and then I'll go rest like you want—but now you have me worried…are you okay? Finding Ronnie like that…it must have been triggering for you…"

"I was more worried about finding you after seeing him in the state in which he was left. All I could think of was...all I could hope was that you had been left unharmed," Will replied, "I wanted you to be alright, safe, unmarred."

Will nodded and peered into Alan's eyes. "Alright. Come with me. We will check on Mister Knox together. Then we are returning to my home and resting."

He lowered his voice, closed his eyes and whispered, "I need you next to me. I need to hold you. To know you are safe tonight. Please, stay with me?"

Alan's stubborn look softened and he took his lover's hand, "Of course I'll stay with you. We'll just have to drop by my place to get a fresh suit for tomorrow." He reassured him gently.

"Hey…did you know Humphries was with the boss?" one of the backup officers asked another in a hushed voice.

"'course not."

* * *

**To be continued...**


	17. Chapter 17

"I'm here to check on one of my field agents, Mister Ronald Knox. He would have been brought in a short time ago. He was attacked by a demon." William inquired as he stood before the emergency nurses' station at the London Grim Reaper Hospital. His hand tucked between both of Alan's, who stood along side him.

They had rushed from the burned mansion straight to the hospital where Ronald had been whisked off to. Neither had any idea of how serious his condition truly was. Though William suspected it was severe. He had never seen a reaper impaled in such a way before. The creature they were dealing with was not, by any means, an average demon.

He looked down at the brunet and his chest constricted. What if the creature, the being were to get its hands on Alan? William swallowed hard on the thought. He couldn't think that right now. No. They would talk about it later at his place.

"He's currently being operated on." The nurse said, bringing up Ronald's file, "Wounds were made by a normal metal made in the mortal realm, so damage won't be lasting. He'll heal. But the surgeons are trying to help it along with repairs. He's been marked for a week of recovery time and therapy should he find movement difficult. A therapist will also be called in to access him mentally as the trauma seems it would be most damaging mentally."

Alan gripped William's hand tighter, "When will he be able to have visitors?"

"We'll let you know once he's awoken from surgery." She assured them both.

"Thank you." Will nodded and turned from the counter. He felt the tension in Alan's body and tenderly wrapped his arm around his shoulder, pulling him close as they walked into the sunlight.

"He'll be alright. Ronald is young and strong." He tried to assure the brunet and as it seemed the creature had not tainted the blond as it had done to himself and Sutcliff. More than likely the nurse was right. He would need to heal, but he would recover. "Let's get what you need and go home. A warm meal and a bed will do us much good."

Alan nodded. Inside, he still blamed himself for what happened to the boy. He was the seasoned reaper between the two, and it had been his responsibility to make sure Ronald was safe and that the job got done properly—both of which he failed because of his nap in the garden.

Will noted how quiet Alan was and stopped. He looked down at the brunet.

"Alan?" He softly spoke, carefully placing a finger beneath Alan's chin and forced him to look up. "What is wrong? And do not patronize me by saying nothing. I can tell, something has you upset. Please tell me?"

"You'll just snap at me if I tell you." Alan sighed. He already knew exactly what William had to say on the subject—he already had said it. The smaller brunet took William's hand from his chin and gave it a squeeze, "Please let me just say it's 'nothing'."

Will started to speak, but hesitated. There was something in the way Alan looked at him. It made his gut twist. Rather than argue he nodded instead. He raised Alan's hand to his mouth and pressed a tender kiss to his fingers. Better to say nothing and get them home. He gently wrapped his arm back around he brunet's shoulders and continued them on their way.

Alan leaned against William's side, silently thanking him for letting the issue go.

"I'm thinking we should have soup tonight. It's quick and easy." He suggested.

"I agree. May I suggest Barley? Or is that not to your liking?" Will asked in return as they headed down the pavement and towards Alan's apartment.

"That'd be fine. I think I have everything we'll need. If not, we'll improvise."

* * *

 

Alan unlocked the door to his apartment and held it open for William. The door liked to close itself and it had, in the past, hit people in the face before. "Make yourself at home."

Will nodded as he stepped into the quaint apartment. He looked about the room taking in the tiny living room. It was warm and inviting. He slipped his coat from his shoulders and draped it over the back of the sofa, before turning to the brunet.

"Would you care to eat here first or fix dinner at my place? However I must warn that I may pass out if I have a meal put inside my stomach. Though I will gladly eat here if you prefer. The choice is yours." Will inquired as he adjusted his glasses.

"Will Clover be alright? If so, you are welcome to stay here tonight. I'm afraid it's not much, but I can clear off some space for you on my bed if you want." Alan offered, removing his dirty jacket and walking back to the bedroom at the end of a short hall.

His entire apartment was simple, but held the brunet's personality. Tan walls, brown drapes, tan carpeting. Matching yellow throw pillows sat on a light brown couch and matching chair. A wooden book shelf held his books, a few knickknacks, and picture frames, similar to what he had decorating his room at the hospital. At the end of the short hall leading to the bathroom and bedroom, a dark wooden table sat with a old rotary phone on it, modified to have an emergency button that would connect him strait to the hospital should he have an attack while alone. It was placed in the most convenient spot in the small apartment, not too far from any of the rooms. Outside the sitting room window was a small box-garden containing three potted plants that helped distract from the drab view of the brick wall of the next building over.

A few dishes sat in the sink from that morning, needing to be washed, still. The kitchen was attached to the sitting room, holding white tile floors, dark wooden cabinets, and tan countertops. A long counter helped separate the two areas, and a simple wooden table with two chairs were pushed against the one free wall of the kitchen area.

The bathroom was clean and organized, decorated in tans, though his towels hanging on the rack were a deep forest green which matched the small rug next to the tub-shower.

Across from the hall was the door to the bedroom where Alan had disappeared into slipping his dirty clothes into a hamper near his closet and changing into a more casual shirt and slacks. His room was also done in Tans, but with a little more yellow. His sheets a soft yellow, the carpeting yellow, but his comforter was tan with a brown flower print on it. Though it was hard to tell under the countless stuffed animals he had on it. A few stuffed toys had even fallen off and onto the floor. But otherwise, the room had an organized feel to it.

Will hollered after the brunet as he disappeared into his bedroom, "I am afraid at some point I would have to return home. Clover will indeed need to be let outside and fed, but he is in no immediate need, so dinner can be had here or there."

Not able to help himself, Will peeked out at the window.

' _What a shame. He needs a garden to enjoy_.'

"Alright." Alan agreed, walking back out in his fresh clothes. Nothing special. He wore an old, simple tan shirt with long sleeves. But the neckline was stretched out and the sleeve threatened to fall off his left shoulder. His pants a simple black, and his feet bare. His shaggy brown hair messed from pulling the shirt over his head, "You can get cleaned up in the bathroom while I start on supper." He suggested.

Hearing Alan approach from the bedroom, Will spun around to face him. He was not use to seeing the brunet so casual before. He rather liked seeing him in such an attire. Tenderly he reached out and touched the younger reaper's cheek.

"While I would very much like to take a shower, I will settle for a washcloth and towel to wash my face." Will leaned forward and placed a light kiss to his lips, then whispered. "I won't be long."

"Probably for the best." Alan chuckled, "I think the only clean clothes here that would fit you after a shower would be the pajamas Eric keeps here after I complained of his state of undress when he sleeps. And those would be a little big on you." He paused, realizing how such a innocent statement would sound to his lover, "He stays here after I have smaller attacks and he doesn't want me to be alone. He sleeps on the couch, but always stripped down to his boxers!" he quickly explained.

Will chuckled. He couldn't help it. Alan looked to adorable when he was flustered and blushing. Wanting to calm him, Will slipped his arms around his waist and pulled him a tad closer. Then saying nothing more he covered Alan's mouth with his own. That simple reassurance that Alan was indeed there, enfolded in his arms, kissing him, made Will relax even more. They were safe and out of that mansion.

"I should let you fix dinner." Will said as he finally broke the kiss. "I'll be back in a moment."

"Yes…" Alan blushed and nodded, "I'll get on that. You go get cleaned up before you come help me." he agreed, pulling away and walking to the kitchen, washing his hands before pulling out what he needed for the soup.

Will stood a moment longer to watch the brunet step into the kitchen before heading to the bathroom. He leaned over the sink and took a deep breath before peering up at the mirror. Slipping his glasses from his face, Will closed his eyes and rubbed them. He could see little as they slowly opened back up, but he was able to find the wash clothes on the rack above the commode. He turned on the faucet and allowed the water to warm as he undid the tie around his neck and hung it over the towel rack next to him. He unbuttoned his shirt and removed it from his body. The water became hot and steam had begun to fog the mirror. Will turned the cold water on to balance the temperature. He picked up the soft, brown cloth and soaked it beneath the water flow. With the bar of soap he found in the soap dish on the sink, he rubbed the cloth together until it was lathered properly.

He groaned in satisfaction as he ran the cloth over his skin. Cleansing away the dirt, grime and blood from his body. Now covered in suds, Will ran the cloth under the water and rinsed it out. It took three times before he felt all the soap was removed from his skin. And then he picked up a clean towel from the cabinet and dried his body.

"Thanks for allowing me to use your bathroom and clean up a bit. I wasn't sure what to do with the dirty towel and wash cloth so I left them on your commode for the time being." Will said as he entered the kitchen.

His shirt was unbuttoned and open, exposing his torso. He had rolled his sleeves up, so they would be out of his way and his hair was tasseled and a mess. This was not the professional Mister Spears his department was use to seeing. He was relaxed and casual.

"That smells delicious. Is there anything you need me to do?" He asked as he stopped next to the brunet as he stirred the pot of soup on the stove.

"That's fine." Alan said, setting the spoon aside and covering the pot with a lid, "And not yet. We have some time before it's ready to eat. We can find something to do while we wait."

"And what do you propose we do as we wait?"

"Relax…try to forget what happened, at least for a little while…until they call about Ronald's condition." Alan suggested, slipping his arms around William and resting his cheek against Will's shoulder.

Will returned the gesture by wrapping his arms around the brunet's shoulders and pressing his own cheek to the top of Alan's head. In calm soft voice he replied, "I'm not sure I can relax all that easily. But for you. I shall try. I can only be thankful you are safe. Walking into that home today...I just needed to find you. Know that you were safe."

"I did say 'try'." Alan said, guiding William over to the couch to curl up with him. "Ron has us both worried."

"Yes, he does." Will replied just before the back of his legs met with the sofa. Loosing his balance, he fell back onto the cushions, bringing the young reaper down with him. Alan landing softly upon his chest. Despite the wind having been knocked out of him, just a smidgen, Will broke out in a hardly laugh. Not his usual chuckle behind a black leather glove. No, this was the rare belly laugh.

"For the sake of the dead Alan, if you wanted me to take a seat, all you had to do was ask. Not knock me down upon it." He teased, brushing a strand of hair from the smaller reaper's face.

Alan flushed, "Well, I could say the same thing to you when you back me up to the bed!" He pointed out. Every time they had slept together since their first night, William had started it the same way. A deep kiss while backing him into the bed until he fell onto it.

Pinching his brows together, William frowned. "I do no such thing. Only the one time. I was drunk and lusting after you. You looked so scrumptious with that book in your hand and well... to much wine with my libido."

"That is still one-hundred percent of the times we have done it in a bed. My statement still stands." Alan smiled, kissing William's temple.

"Not true. We did it in my hospital bed too. And that time I did not back you up to the bed." Will teased, pecking a kiss to the brunet's lips. "So you see you are only half correct."

"Doesn't count. You were injured and unable to leave the bed."

"Does too, count." Will argued playfully. "Next time, I shall throw you over my shoulder and toss you onto my bed."

"Maybe if you can catch me." Alan teased, snuggling up to William and closing his eyes.

"Is that a challenge, Mister Humphries?" Will inquired as he nibbled on the brunet's ear. "I am not above claiming my dessert before dinner, if it is."

"It is. But not for tonight as we are not at your house, and you did say that it would happen at your bed—not mine." He smirked playfully.

Will remained perfectly still. No words or sounds came from him. Alan's eyes, they held him and he knew he was home. It was the only thing he could think of as he stared into them. Those soft, welcoming eyes of green, that looked back at him with warmth and love in them.

"I am so...so in love with you." William whispered. The words pouring from deep within his heart.

Alan's eyes softened as he gave a gentle smile, "I'm in love with you, too, William." He covered Will's lips with his own, planting a passionate kiss upon them.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	18. Chapter 18

"Alan?" Will called out, swiping a spider's web from his path. "Alan, where are you?"

The old house was dark and cold. The only light penetrating the decaying building was from the large, moon, passing through the grand windows. Creaking noises rose from beneath his feet as he stepped lightly across the wooden floor boards. His breath lingered on the air before his face, illuminated by the moon's bright glow. He rounded a corner and found a darkened hallway. A single light flickering at the far reach of its length.

Unable to see if anyone lay before him, Will squinted and called out nervously. "Alan, are you down there? Answer me if you are, please."

There was no reply, but the soft sound of weeping. Perplexed, Will slowly began to make his way down the corridor. He summoned his scythe as he moved across the carpet runner that seemed to manifest out of nowhere. It squished under his feet and Will paused a moment to look down. The darkness surrounding him, however, prevented him from making out what the possible substance that saturated the fabric could be.

He knelt down and ran his hand over the dark rug. His fingertips coated in the strange liquid. There was no smell to it or at least none that he could detect, setting of warning bells inside his head. Something was not right here. He looked up at the light, burning at the end of the hall, again. It seemed to be even further away than before and he stood. His mouth fell open as the light disappeared before his eyes.

"What is going on?" He asked himself as he looked back the way he had come. But there was nothing but darkness behind him. The moon that had been shinning in the main foyer was gone. The blackness grew tighter around him and he felt closed in and trapped. Yet still he could here the soft crying of another being.

"Alan?!"

"William—why?" Alan's sobbing voice finally answered from somewhere up ahead, "Why? No—no! Don't!" His voice grew panicked, but sounded neither close nor far from William's location.

"Alan? I can't see you. Where are you?" William asked confused and startled. He began to head in the direction of Alan's voice, calling out to him. "Alan speak to me. Tell me where you are. I need to find you."

"No! Stay away! Stay away from me! NO!" Alan's voice continued, mounting to a scream. And then there was a loud bang. A door at the end of the dark hall bursting off its hinges and flying towards William.

William could not see the large door flying straight for him. But as it drew near, it struck him and knocked him to the floor. He cried out in pain and a trickle of blood streamed from his cracked cheek. The sound of rolling thunder echoed off the walls as the carpet runner rolled towards him. Its size enlarging as it fed on itself. Dazed, Will had no idea the danger approaching.

"Run." Alan's voice seemed to whisper in his ear, then it was far away again, crying out, more banging sounds filling the space around William.

"No! HELP!" Alan screamed.

The sound grew louder. Will could feel the ground rocking below his back. Instincts kicking in, he scrambled out of the path of the oncoming carpet as it continued to roll upon itself. A blast of air blowing through his hair as it whizzed closely by him. Out of breath he panted and stared after it. But before he could get to his feet the boards snapped and he fell through the shattered wood. Limbs flailing as he tumbled through a misty abyss until he landed hard on an old musky bed. Dust floating all around him and painting him in a shade of gray.

"Please…stop…just let me die…" Alan's voice, weak from screaming, sounded from across the room.

A perfect circle of white light shown down upon a gurney, the bright light bleaching out the colors to high contrast. Alan's small figure lay upon it, strapped down. His skin bleached by the harsh light and only his hair and eyes could be seen clearly from across the room. A black shadow-like figure stood over him, the only features that could be seen was a sharp, fanged smile as it ran a black claw along Alan's exposed body.

The scene distorted slightly, and when it came back, green-black vines covered in thorns were growing from Alan's heart, curling around the gurney and stretching out across the floor. Blood red roses blossoming along them.

"William—please-!"

"Alan! No!" Will shouted as he bolted from the bed. He ran as fast as he possibly could, yet he felt as though he was running in slow motion. No matter how much energy he expelled, the gurney seemed still too far away to reach. "Alan, hold on! I'm coming!"

The light went out and William stopped dead in his tracks. He spun around in a circle, but the gurney was gone and once more he was shrouded in darkness.

"Alan?!"

Silence met his ears. Pure silence. The seconds dragging by until Alan's voice spoke once more, echoing in his mind.

_"I trusted you, William."_

Will's chest constricted. His eyes darted all across the darkness. He was searching, searching for his lover. Panic welled up inside him and he cried out, calling Alan's name.

"Alan! Please! I need you! I can't find you! Alan!"

Everything started to fade away, even the darkness as the nightmare faded and reality took over. Morning light falling across his face, hands shaking his shoulders, and a gentle voice calling to him.

"Will! William, wake up!"

"Alan?" Will gasped as he opened his eyes suddenly. He blinked trying to focus on the blur hovering above him. "Alan?"

He reached up and touched the brunet's cheeks. "Are you real? I can't see you. Please be real."

"Of course I'm real…you were having a nightmare. You were screaming." Alan leaned over and flicked on the lamp on the side table and grabbing William's glasses, slipping them onto the man's face.

Will blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the light. It took a moment for the brunet's face to come into focus. "I couldn't get to you. I kept calling your name and I couldn't find you. I could hear your voice and then... oh, Alan."

"Shh, it was just a dream. I'm here." Alan slipped back down to lay with William, "I'm here."

Raising his head, Will pressed a kiss to the top of Alan's head and breathed his scent in. He smelled like a spring garden and sunshine. The image of Alan trapped upon the gurney covered in thorns formed in his head and he shivered.

"It felt so real." He whispered. "It felt so real."

"It wasn't…trust me. I was right here in bed with you the whole time."

"I thought for sure that creature had got a hold of you. That it was going to take you from me. What it might have done to you…" Will shook his head and held Alan even closer. "Please, until this thing is caught. I want you on desk duty. I know you are a good reaper and a wonderful field agent. But it is too dangerous. I don't want to risk loosing you."

"Will, our department can't afford me to be on desk duty. We are already down two officers. I know you are worried, but we can't abandon souls to demons, angels, or escaping to be trapped on Earth as ghosts."

"We can manage. I...I just... what it is capable of. And that dream. I swear it felt so real." Will stumbled on his own words. He was terrible distressed by what he had seen. What he had endured. He finally found love. Let someone in and he would be damned if that creature ever touched Alan. "Please, Alan."

Alan sighed, "You are still my boss, William. If you put me on deskwork, there isn't much I can do about it."

"But you are now also my lover and I do not wish to upset, if I choose to do so. I would much prefer you to agree with my decision, than resent me for it." explained Will as he ran his fingers up and down the brunet's back. "You are my world and I want to protect you. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"No," Alan cupped his cheek and planted a kiss on his lips, "As your lover, I understand completely. But work-wise…taking me off the field is hurting our division's productivity."

"We can cope. I don't want you in danger." Will stared back up at Alan. He didn't want to be cold and cruel. And he most certainly could fight, but the danger. It was all he could think of. "When we go in tomorrow. I will start the papers. You can start desk duty the day after, when everything clears."

Alan sighed and nodded, "Alright." He agreed.

"Honestly? You will allow this and not fight me?" Will inquired. He hadn't been expecting Alan to be so complacent.

"Fighting it would only cause you even more stress than you already have, love. This…demon or whatever it is…it's affecting you much more than you know."

"It is going after myself and my staff. And I am worried it will come after you as well. I..." Will sighed and closed his eyes for just a moment. "I've been without anyone for so long. I know you have a condition. I just refuse to let something as vile as this creature, take you away from me sooner."

"Will…it won't." Alan kissed his cheek, "And right now we are safe and sound in bed together. It can't touch either of us here."

Pressing his cheek against the brunet's crown, William mumbled, "I should hope not. And you right. Demons or the like cannot enter our realm."

* * *

Ronald groaned and struggled to move, to open his eyes, but he felt so weak, even breathing felt labored and a chore. His entire body ached and he glanced around, soon recognizing the familiar white walls of the hospital.

"Shit…" Ron choked, closing his eyes again. The taste of his own blood seemed to cling to his tongue. What the hell had happened?

"Yer awake. Wasna sure if I'd be disturpin' ya or not." Eric said as he quietly opened the door to Ronald's hospital room. A bouquet of orange and yellow carnations were arranged in a crystal clear vase, that he carried. A matching ribbon tied around the neck of the beautifully sculpted glass. "I thought ya might like these. Give ya some color in here."

Ronald pressed his lips in a thin line, "…What – are you – doing here?" he asked in a dry voice, his eyes glancing away. He was still bitter about how Eric had ended things with him. How he'd abandoned him to run to Grell's side out of the blue. He, of course was worried about Grell, but being dumped so suddenly when Grell was hospitalized? No, he couldn't forgive that so soon. And now he was in the hospital…and Eric was bringing him flowers…

"D' you have – a thing for – guys in hospital beds – or something?"

"O', come on Ronald, I told ya before it had nothin' ta do with him bein' in the hospital. I still care for ya. Ya know I do, but that flame done burnt out sometime ago. I was jus' draggin' things out, not wantin' ta hurt ya." Eric clarified or tried to as he approached the blond. He had hurt Ronald, he knew he had, but in his heart he still cared and the thought the young reaper had been attacked made his chest ache with worry. He had rushed to the hospital as soon as he had heard. He needed to know that the blond was going to be alright. To see with his own eyes.

"I did na know how ta explain things an' I...I feel awful that that thing done gone an' hurt ya. I promise, I'll make it pay for hurtin' ya an' everyone else, too."

Tears stung the younger blond's eyes and he took a shaky breath, "You strung me along… You – lied to me as – you kept me in your bed!" he stated, not really knowing if that fact was more painful or if the sudden break up had given him the most pain and heartache. "Just—leave me alone. I don't need your – pity."

If he had been able to move without pain, he would have rolled over, back to his ex. But bandages were wrapped around his hands and torso, and if the doctors had given him anything for the pain, it had worn off.

"Is that wha' ya think I am doin' here, to pity ya?" Eric scoffed, placing the flowers on Ronald's end table. "Ron, I still care a great deal for ya. I was worried when they said ya had been attacked. I came as soon as I heard."

"Its pity…You know I'm alone now. What else could it be other than pity?" He groaned, moving a pained hand over his chest, some blood leaking through his bandaged wrapping his chest. "Being popular isn't the same as having someone there for me. You're just rubbing it in my face."

Eric looked down and shook his head. "It ain't like tha', Ron. Ya mean a lot ta me. I ain't lyin' when I say that I care. I don't like seein' ya in pain, physical or mental. I am here as a friend. I know ya think ya are alone, but ya ain't. Please jus' look at me?"

"You said you wouldn't hurt me…but you did. More than whatever happened to me on that collection…"

"Ron..." Eric sighed. "Wha' was I s'pose ta do? Keep lyin' ta ya? Keep the relationship goin' when it was causin' more damage ta us? I still love ya, jus' not like I use ta."

"No!" Ronald looked up at Eric, "Be truthful—back then. Tell me the truth when you started to feel that way! Not wait until I'm even more in love with you to suddenly up and leave me!"

Eric sighed and sat down on the bed, near the blond's feet. "Aye, yer right. I should have done that. But I was confused at the time an' then I was na sure wha' ta do. I messed up. I know I did. Will ya ever forgive me, Ron?"

"I…don't know…" Ronald muttered honestly. He didn't take heartbreak well, he had difficulties with forgiveness…and moving on, trusting other people to get close… He took a deep breath and repeated it, "I don't know."

"Ron, do ya really wish me ta leave? I don't wanna trouble ya further. I jus' had to see ya and let ya know I am here for ya." Eric inquired as he reached over and touched the blond's hand. "Ya still mean a lot ta me."

"I…I don't know." Ron opened his eyes to look at him, "I…still love you, Eric…a lot."

The sentiment meant a lot to Eric and so he smiled down at the blond, his thumb tracing circles on the back of Ronald's hand. "An' I ya too. I always will."

"Not the same way!" Ron huffed.

"Aye, that is true, but I still do, nonetheless. Now, tell me, is there anythin' I can do for ya, while I am here? Get ya anythin'. I can sneak ya in some good food, if ya like. Ya know how hospital food is. Jus' name it. Whatever an' I try to do it." Eric said, sitting up straight. "Wha' will be, Ron?"

"I…would like something to eat, yeah, but…" he bit his lip, "Can I…have one last kiss?"

"Kiss?" Eric swallowed. He hadn't been expecting that as a response.

He reached up and adjusted his tie. The room all of a sudden growing a tinge warm. Slowly he stood up and walked up to the head of the bed. Tenderly he touched the blond's cheek.

"I don' know if that would be a good idea, Ron. I never cheated on ya an' I, even though Grell has not officially accepted the idea of us...damn Ronnie, why that? Why ya want me ta kiss ya?" Eric questioned, torn between wanting to give Ronnie comfort and being faithful to Grell.

"Because the last one you gave me sucked!" Ronald said flatly. "Walking up to me at work and giving me a tiny peck before breaking up with me. Not cool."

"So ya would have preferred me ta stick my tongue down yer throat and then say, 'Ronnie, my dear, I need to say goodbye. I'm breakin' up with ya.' Is that how ya would have liked it?" Eric replied as he stared dumbfounded back at Ronald.

"No…I'd have preferred it that you didn't kiss me at all! Leave me with the one before that as my last."

Eric sighed once more and sat down on the bed. Over come with regret, he lowered his head to the blond's chest. He took the hospital blanket covering Ronald into his fists and gritted his teeth. "I'm so sorry fer hurtin' ya. I'll say it a hundred times over if only it will take away the pain I caused ya."

"'Sorry' doesn't help, Eric… Uhg, forget it!" Ron tried to roll over but the pain stopped him again.

"Ronald." Eric whispered as he slowly lifted his head and looked up at the blond. Carefully he scooted further up the bed, alongside Ronald's body. Gently he lowered his head until his lips were just a breath away from the injured reaper's. His eyes met the blond's and for a moment he lingered. Then slowly and gingerly he pressed their mouths together.

Ronald sucked in his breath—which hurt—but he closed his eyes, feeling those familiar lips against his, enjoying them for the last time, but also reading them. Reading what Eric was feeling. One thing was right. The Scotsman didn't love him like that any longer… The passion they had once shared was gone.

His lips trembled, and tears returned to his eyes again as the kiss slowly ended. Ronald nodded, "Okay…okay…"

Eric lifted his head and saw the tears form and began to shed. Softly he whispered as he wiped them away with his thumb. "Oh, Ronnie, don't cry. If only I could make my heart..."

The blond sat up and cleared his throat. "I should go an' get ya some food. Ya must be hungry."

Ronald nodded and looked away, "…Thank you." He wasn't sure what he was thinking him for. The offer of food or the final confirmation that the passion between them was dead…but he'd let Eric think what he wanted to.

"Aye, I'll be back in a few. Jus' sit tight an' I'll make sure you get plenty of food." Eric assured as he stood and walked to the door. He paused for a moment, looking over his shoulder. He closed his eyes and pushed the wide hospital door open and stepped out.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	19. Chapter 19

Grell sat on the floor in the corner of his hospital room, hugging his knees to his chest and rocking back and forth, humming to himself. The room was kept well-lit to avoid darker shadows which seemed to set the redhead off. Light seemed to soothe him, though he still refused to speak most of the time unless something set him off in a panic.

Clenched tightly in his hand, though, was a scalpel. And around him lay swirls of long red hair he had unevenly cut from his head, shedding the locks he had always been so proud of.

Slowly the door to Grell's room opened, a quiet creaking noise emanating from its hinges. The sound of foot steps crossing the tiled linoleum, echoed off the sterilized walls. Piercing eyes fell on the redhead as he sat in the corner cutting his prized crimson locks.

"Wha' ya doin' there, Grell?"

"Eric-!" Grell dropped the scalpel and scrambled to his feet, rushing over to the tall blond and hugging him, his bare feet scattering his chopped hair further across the floor.

Strong, warm arms encircled the small, fragile redhead and held him tight. Concerned, the blond stroked the back of Grell's head. Gently he asked, "Grell, why are ya cuttin' yer hair for?"

"Shadows would grab me…" the redhead mumbled, "I don't want them touching me."

"Shh...It's alright, love. There ain't no shadows here now. No one is goin' hurt ya, Grell." Eric soothed as he carefully picked the redhead up and carried him to bed and laid him down upon it, but as he tried to pull away, Grell continued to cling to him.

"Ya don't wan' me ta let ya go, Grell? Ya want me ta hold ya?" He asked bent over the bed with the redhead in his arms still.

The redhead nodded, "I don't want to be alone." He whispered. "The doctor said that I…I can go home if I want, that I'm physically healthy and getting better mentally but...I'm not ready to be alone where it can come back in more than my dreams…"

Eric hoisted the redhead back up into his arms and walked over to the chair by the window and sat down with Grell in his lap. He pushed him up and wiped the tears from his cheek and the hair that clung to Grell's pale face.

"Ya ain't alone, Grell. I'm here. But aren't ya tired of bein' in here? Don't ya want to go home. Where yer more comfortable and have yer stuff around ya?" He asked tenderly, cupping Grell's face so he could look him straight in the eyes.

Grell shook his head, "It's not safe there." Grell met his gaze, "The shadow can get to places it shouldn't be."

"Would ya tell me abou' this shadow? What' ya remember? Anythin' that could allow me ta help ya, Grell." Eric inquired, carefully, not wanting to upset Grell further, but wanting to understand.

"It…got into my head. Everything went black…I couldn't see, couldn't breathe…couldn't think…and then there was pain…all kinds of pain…so much anger…"

"Shh... It's over now, Grell. I promise, it won't hurt ya any longer." Eric promised, kissing the redhead's crown. "I'll make sure it won't ever touch ya again."

"You can't!" Grell gasped, "It's after me. It's after William. We are the targets."

"Whoa, Grell! Wha' do ya mean it is after ya? Ya an' Spears... I mean, why would it be choosin' to come after jus' the two of ya? An' after today, I find that a tad bit hard ta believe. Ya two are not the only ones it has been hurtin'." Eric replied as he rubbed Grell's back. An tactic for comforting, he had developed.

"It's us…it's us and who we care the most for…It wants to hurt us in the worst ways."

"But why? Why does it wan' ta hurt ya, love? I don't understand that part. An' it hasna come after me. Is that wha' ya are afraid of, Grell...that it might come after me?"

"It will…' Grell nodded, "It will because I…I need you…" Grell studied the blond's face, his unevenly chopped hair falling into his own before he slowly closed the distance between them, "…I need you…" he repeated as their lips touched.

Eric's eyes closed as their mouths met. He wanted for so long to kiss the redhead, but the creature he had spoke of had delayed that until now. In some ways he felt guilty, as though he were taking advantage of Grell. Still it felt good to hold him and kiss him. He drank from the redhead as though he were wine to get drunk on.

"Grell..." He moaned as he slipped his hand to the back of Grell's head, his fingers tangling in the heap of butchered locks. "Grell..."

"Don't let it get you…" Grell whispered. He knew Eric was single again, the man had told him that much, and he did feel guilty for kissing the man so soon after he and Ronald separated, but he was uncommonly vulnerable, and Eric had been the only one to stay by his side.

Eric smiled, their foreheads pressed together. "I won't. An' I won't let it get ya again, either. I'll make sure ya remain safe, Grell. But please do me one favour. No more cuttin' yer hair. Yer too pretty to have it all butchered up."

"I had to…" Grell hid his face where Eric's neck met his shoulder, "I had to…"

"Why...why did ya have to, Grell? Ya always have loved yer hair. Will ya tell me why ya had to cut yer hair?" Eric asked, concerned.

"It was grabbing it—trying to pull me back into the dark shadows it creates." Grell shivered, breathing a little harder.

Eric wrapped his arms tighter around Grell's body, holding him closer. "It can't do that ta ya anymore, Grell. Will ya trust me? Let me protect ya?"

"I trust you…I don't trust it."

"Grell? Would ya like me ta take ya out of here?" Eric inquired as he brushed more strands of crimson from Grell's face. "Ya could come stay at my place. I'd be home before it got dark and I wouldna leave ya til the sun climbed into the sky, of a day. Ya wouldna have to be alone any longer. I'd take care of ya."

Grell paused, biting his lip lightly so that his sharp teeth wouldn't draw blood. Maybe it'd help to have someone there during the night. The nurses hardly even poked their heads in to check on him during his long, sleepless nights.

Slowly, he nodded.

Eric smiled and took a hold of Grell's chin, delicately. "Alright. Now, I don' wan' ta leave ya, but I need ta step out fer jus' a moment ta get the doc.. I wan' ya ta sit right here in the chair. Right here next ta the light. I won' be no more than a minute a' most. We'll get ya signed out of here an' tomorrow we'll collect some stuff from yer place. But t'night ya can wear one of ma shirts ta sleep in. Okay?"

Again, Grell nodded, but didn't move to let Eric stand up. Rather, he leaned forward, resting his forehead on Eric's, "Am I…weak?" he whispered, "Have I grown weak because of this? I know—I know I'm not acting like myself, but I can't help it…"

"Weak? Nah Grell, yer not weak. Do ya have any idea wha' ya have been through? Ya were unconscious fer so long. I'd be jus' as freaked as ya are. An' yer not the only one tha' thing has gone after." Eric puckered his lips and kissed Grell on the tip of his nose, then whispered. "Nah Grell, yer strong."

"But I don't…run away. I don't want to be the damsel in distress—yet, I am."

"Grell, I have known ya fer a very long time an' I can honestly say, ya have never been weak. Not now, not ever." Eric assured as he cupped Grell's face and pressed their foreheads together. "It's alrigh' from time ta time, ta need someone ta rescue ya, ta take care of ya. I wan't ta be there fer ya. Take care of ya. I wan't ta protect ya."

"But who'll protect you when I can't?" Grell whispered. "Who'll protect William?"

Eric chuckled, "I don' think ya have anythin' ta worry 'bout when it comes ta Spears. I think he has a little guard dog ta watch over him these days. As fer myself. I promise ya, I will always be on guard. Agents are no longer allowed out in the filed alone. So I'll always have someone along side me, when I go collectin'."

"…Okay…" Grell moved, standing up to let Eric up at last, his feet once more standing on chopped locks. His thin hospital gown falling down to his mid-thighs. "You can go…but hurry back."

Eric stood up and pushed Grell's uneven locks back over his shoulders. Tenderly he placed his hands at the base of his head and urged him to look up. "I promise, I won' be gone no more than a minute. Jus' stay here, in the chair." Slowly he lowered his head and pressed his lips to Grell's, kissing him gingerly.

Grell nodded, "….Would Ronnie be mad at me…for enjoying your kisses?"

"No Grell, he would not." Eric smiled, kissing the redhead's forehead.

* * *

"Did you enjoy dinner, Alan?" Will asked as he walked along side the smaller brunet. The soft, warm, wet sand squishing between their toes as they made their way down the beach. The salty sea air rippling through their hair as the stars twinkled brightly above them.

"I wasn't sure how you would feel about Indian food. I enjoy a little occasionally, but it isn't for everyone. I won't be offended if dinner was not pleasant to you and I would be more than happy to fix you something else when we return home."

"Oh—it was fine." Alan reassured, "It's not my favorite thing to have for dinner, but I did eat my fill." Smiling, the brunet took his lover's hand, entwining their fingers as his feet sank in the damp sand along the shore. Waves licking at his toes and heels.

Will smiled down at the reaper by his side. "I am glad you were not overly displeased. Though I do hope you saved room for dessert. There has to be room for dessert."

"I couldn't possibly eat another bite for a while, at least." Alan smiled, looking out over the moonlit waves, "…William…what if…you and I did something crazy…something we would never normally do?"

"Alan?" Will raised a brow as he paused and looked down at the smaller brunet. "What is it you are thinking of? What is it you would like us to do?"

William had no inkling as to what Alan was hinting at. What would be crazy for them to do, at night and on the beach?

"It's warm enough…why don't we go for a swim?" Alan suggested, nodding out over the water.

"Swim?" Will chuckled and looked at the ocean. The waves were crashing softly and then washing up onto the sand, and around their feet.

"But we have no suits and it is night." he replied turning back to the brunet.

"That," Alan flushed, "Is where the 'crazy thing we'd never do' part comes in." he said, pinching open the top button of his shirt.

William swallowed hard as he watched Alan pop open the buttons of his shirt. His shirt fell open and revealed his breast plate. The moonlight beamed down, kissing the flesh of his thorn ridden chest. Reaching out, Will tenderly ran his fingers along one of the vines.

"They almost glow in the moonlight." he softly spoke looking into Alan's incandescent eyes. They too seemed to glow, illuminated by the moon's soft light. "I've never been so willing to live and experience new things. You do that to me. You make me want to live."

His fingers feathered over Alan's cheek. "You are the most beautiful creation ever made. I have never laid eyes upon anything that could match."

"Lines like that while sober?" Alan teased, dropping his shirt to the sandy shore beyond where the waves wash up, soaking their feet and a line of sand. He popped up to kiss William, his toes sinking in the warm sand. Alan let the kiss linger, enjoying the treat. Yes, even if they happened often, he saw it as a treat. They were sweet, and William's taste was quite addicting. And when it ended, he almost let out a whimper of a protest, but he managed to hold it back.

William said nothing, just began to unbutton his waist coat. His eyes never leaving those of his lover's. If only Alan could know how much he drowned in them. Those soft, welcoming, warm eyes of his. William found himself swallowing another deep breath as he shook out of his vest. It landed with Alan's shirt on the dry sand.

Alan smiled and began to strip out of his pants and underpants, leaving himself fully exposed before he slipped away and splashed into the water until he was waist-deep. "Come on. I promise I'll keep this between the two of us and the sea."

Taking another deep breath, Will popped the wrist buttons on his dress shirt. He decided not to waste time unbuttoning the white linen, instead he pulled it and his undershirt up and over his head. His hair ruffled in the process. His hands began to tremble as he fumbled with the belt around his waist. But once freed he quickly slipped his pants down, boxers as well, all landing on the dry sand.

He didn't run as Alan did, but slowly walked to the where the waves crashed around his knees pausing for one brief moment and looked back up at the shore. But the sound of Alan calling his name, had him turning his attention back to the smaller reaper. He smiled and moved with haste to Alan's side.

Alan smiled and slipped his arms around William when he joined him, "Don't worry about the beach. No one will know about this." He reassured him.

"I am surprised the water is as warm as it is. I had expected it to be colder." he sheepishly admitted as he wrapped his arms around Alan's shoulders. "Though I have never swum in the ocean. So I have no comparison."

"During the day it'd feel colder because the air is warmer." Alan shrugged, "You'll see once we get out how cold the air will feel compared to the water. Though normally I'm in the pool at my apartment complex."

William stood there, just staring. He listened tentatively to every word that fell from Alan's lips. They were naked and standing in the sea. The waves gently rocking them back forth together. Alan was right, when they emerged from the water, they would meet the cold. But for now, they were held in the warmth of the ocean's cradle. Just the two of them.

Tenderly, Williams fingers began to caress Alan's cheek. Softly he let his voice carry over the roar of the sea. "I have not swam in quite some years. It feels strange to be standing in the ocean. Though, I would stand here forever if it meant you would never have to leave my arms."

"You do know how to swim, right?" Alan teased with a chuckle, slipping his arms around Will's waist.

"Yes." Will chuckled. "I just am usually to busy with work, to do anything at leisure. Well besides attending my garden and my pigeons."

He smiled genuinely down at the smaller brunet. "What of you, you say you like to swim in the pool at your apartment? Do you swim often?"

Alan nodded, "When I come home from the hospital after an attack, and I have time before I'm permitted to return to work, I like to go for a swim. It's a nice feeling to get active after being stuck in a hospital bed for so long."

"I can imagine." Will replied. Slowly he slipped his arms under Alan's and began massaging his lower back. "But the real question is, do you normally swim in the sea? The only natural water I have ever swam in, and this was during my academy days, was a lake. There were no waves to content with and it was rather serene."

"Hmm," Alan chuckled, "You should try to make it to more office outing parties. We have one here every other summer." Alan pointed out. "Yes, I have swam in the ocean before.

Will quirked a brow at his lover. He was surprised. He had not known that Dispatch held parties at the beach. Was he really that out of tune with his Department?

"We have parties at the beach? Annually?" he asked. His hand stopped caressing Alan's back for a moment as he admitted. "I was very much unaware of this. I feel utterly ridiculous for having never known about this."

"I…thought you knew—everyone did. You are the one that approves them." Alan blinked in surprise, "Same as the annual winter holiday party."

Growing even more puzzled, William backed away from Alan and adjusted his glasses. All this was new to him, every ounce of information the smaller reaper was presenting him with. How had he been approving such frivolous activities on Dispatch's dime? In shock, he sunk down into the water so that the waves passed just below his chin. Slowly he shook his head and narrowed his eyes as he tried to think back over the years. He wanted to recall any instance, where a document seeking an approval for such events, crossed his desk.

"Forgive me Alan, but I cannot recall ever approving any ball or party. How long has this been occurring and why until now, have I not discovered such a thing?"

"Since before I joined Dispatch. It's for moral…" Alan frowned. Did William really not remember? "Maybe you just don't realize that's what the forms are?"

William looked back up Alan and softened his severe expression. Perhaps he had forgotten if it had been sometime, but deep down he could not recall any such forms crossing his path. What did it matter now? He had approved them and even if he had known, he would not have partaken.

Needing to feel his lover in his hands again, Will glided through the water back up to Alan. His hands reached out and took a hold of his hips.

"Do you truly take delight in attending such events?" he asked.

"Yes. It's enjoyable and relaxing." Alan slipped his arms around William and leaned against him, "Alcohol isn't permitted so people don't get out of control."

"When is the next event? Seems to me, that you are up on the events calendar. Perhaps..." William cleared his throat. Was he prepared for such an idea. Yes. For Alan, he would do anything. And he was curious. "Perhaps, I could escort you to the next office event. That is, if you will let me?"

"We have one at the end of every December, and one at the end of June. Though sometimes they will be delayed based on heavy collection counts." Alan chuckled, "And I would love for you to join me." The smaller brunet ran his hands over Will's shoulders and pulled him down into a kiss, "It'll be a date."

Will gave in briefly to the kiss; those soft, sweet lips caressing his own. Then without warning he hoisted Alan out of the water and smiled. "A date it is. Now I wonder, can you fly?" Before the brunet could answer, Will tossed him out further into the water as another wave came rolling in. He laughed as he ducked under the rolling tide.

Alan gasped, bursting back up out of the water, legs kicking as he couldn't touch completely in the new location, "Will! That's cheating! He swam towards William, ducking under and tugging his legs out from under him when the man stood again, and pulling him under the moonlit waters.

The current tossed them hither and yon until all at once their bodies collided beneath the stirring sea. Will grabbed Alan's arms and reeled him into him. With his arms securely around the brunet's waist, Will stared unblinking. Then enthralled by passion, he covered Alan's mouth with his own. Under the sea they danced with tides continuous rocking. Fused together by a kiss. Here they were one, safe and out of the reach of that which dared to break them. This moment was unlike anything William had ever experienced. His lungs ceased, protecting him from drowning. As he cradled the back of Alan's head, he could sense, Alan's chest was slowing as well. Light flickered all around them from the moon beams penetrating the oceans surface. It was like being in some enchanted, foreign place, that which only existed in fairy-tales.

A few bubbles of air escaped their locked lips, dancing their way to the surface, but Alan relaxed into the kiss, paying the bubbles no mind. Reapers didn't require breathing, after all, and the moment felt special, unlike anything he'd ever imagined. The brunet let his legs tangle with William's returning the kiss with a gentle passion.

Yes, he loved this man—more than anything.

* * *

"So, that is what reapers like to do up here. Scandalous. I wonder what would happen, dear William, if the all of Dispatch were to find out you were gallivanting in the ocean with your lover, at night." Lilith pondered and plotted as she hid amongst the shadows and away from the eyes of the trysting reapers. They were below the surface of the waves, doing what she assumed was their version of coupling. Or was it called 'making love' as the mortals called it. Is that what reapers called it here as well?

"Never-the-less. I think a little fun is in order here." She smiled broader as another thought struck her. "Rather, I should sensationalize it. Let's see what those around you will think, Mister Spears, when it comes out that it wasn't consensual. Yes, let the whole of Dispatch believe Mister Spears takes advantage of his weak paramour."

She licked her lips and slipped further into the shadows. She had work to do.

"This shall be delightful."

* * *

**To be continued...**


	20. Chapter 20

The morning light was filtered out from the thick cloud cover over Reaper London, the sky painted in white and light grays. But Alan was in a good mood as he walked into work. A cheerful smile on his face as he clocked in and headed for the lift as he always did.

He and William had had a fun evening. It was romantic and exciting. After they got tired of swimming, they dressed and hurried to William's house to get dry and warm again, cuddling well into the night and falling asleep on the couch. Alan had to go back to his apartment that morning to dress for the day, as his suit had salt water on it. So he was walking in alone rather than with his lover.

Feeling like a love-sick puppy, Alan leaned against the wall of the lift as he rode it up to the floor his office was located on.

Two floors before the brunet's destination, the lift came to a stop and the doors slid open. A fuming blond stood waiting. He was up in arms over the gossip he had just heard, near one of the water coolers of the claims Department. His eyes widened as they fell on the subject of the chitter-chatter circulating Dispatch.

"Al?" He said surprised as he stepped into the elevator. "Ugh...Al, how ya feelin' t'day?"

Eric was not sure what he should be looking for, but he could not help but let his eyes wander over the brunet's face and body. He wanted proof of what he heard, before he went beating down their boss' office door. He didn't see any bruises on Alan's face. Yet he didn't quite look right either in the face. Pink and a bit aloof. But was that a sign of abuse? Eric didn't think much so, but one could never be sure. So he reached up and scratched the side of his chin as he waited for the brunet's answer.

"Just fine…is something wrong? You're looking at me funny—did something happen with Grell?" Alan straitened up and looked at Eric, a worried expression dawning on his face, "Or Ronald?"

"Nah." Eric shook his head. "Grell's doin' better now that I got him at my place. Jus' nightmares here an' there. He's good in the day time."

But Eric's expression still remained concerned for his friend, even as the elevator dinged and came to a stop. The doors opened and he motioned for Alan to exit ahead of him. He watched carefully as the brunet stepped out first. Was he walking funny or was that his mind playing tricks on him? Eric couldn't tell. He walked next to him as they began heading down the corridor to their offices. Other pairs of eyes turned to stare at them.

Alan frowned, "Then did something happen last night?" he asked in a low voice as he caught people—everyone, in fact—staring at him. He hadn't gotten this much attention in the office since people found out about his Thorns.

"Umm...well..." Eric began to feel uneasy. It was true, there was not a single eye, not on them at this moment. "We should talk. Come on, Al."

Eric didn't wait for the brunet to say another word. Instead he grabbed his arm and hurried down the hallway, dragging Alan in tow. Once at his door, Eric threw it open and ushered the smaller reaper inside and then kicked the door closed behind them.

"Has tha' cold hearted bastard laid a hand on ya, Al?" blurted the blond, huffing.

"Eric—what?" Alan gasped as he was dragged into the office, and then he blinked in confusion at Eric's question, "…What? Who—what are you talking about, Eric?"

"Alan, you'd tell ma the truth, wouldn't ya?" Eric asked as he stepped up in front of the brunet. His eyes searching the others. "Rumor has it tha' ya were seen on the beach last nigh'. An' Spears forced himself on ya. Tha' he even hit ya. I wanna know the truth...did he do tha' ta ya, Alan."

"What?" Alan paled. How had such rumors started? "Of course I'd tell you the truth—always. You're like a brother to me, Eric. I mean, we were at the beach last night but—nothing like that happened. We went for a swim and then headed back to his place. Fell asleep on the sofa with his dog."

Eric took Alan by the shoulders. His grip was firm, but he used no force. "Alan, please? Don't cover for him, if he did somethin' ta ya. I know how he has treated Grell over the years. I wouldna put it past him if he has. Though if ya are bein' honest...I apologize. I jus' wanna make sure yer safe is all."

"He didn't do anything." Alan insisted, "At least—nothing bad." He added, his cheeks darkening. They had been naughty together in the shower, after all.

"So yer saying he didna hit ya or force himself upon ya?" Eric sighed a sigh of relief and released the brunet. He backed away half turning and raked his fingers through his hair. "Someone is spreadin' the rumor like wild fire, Al. Someone is claimin' they seen the two of ya on the beach." He turned his head back to the brunet. "Why would someone say such things?"

"I—I don't know…" Alan whispered, stunned, "William's my boyfriend, he'd never hurt me."

"Well Dispatch is believin' the rumors. They've seen his temper an' the way he has treated Grell an' a few of his lackeys. So ya can't blame them. He does have anger management issues, Alan."

Eric sat down on top of his desk, his head hanging. What a mess. Just lies, is that what they truly were or was the brunet covering for the ass? He was not sure, but he also knew Alan had never lied to him before. It wasn't his nature to lie. Eric felt confused and didn't know what to think or what to believe.

"This sucks balls, if is jus' a nasty rumor," whispered the blond.

"Well, it is just a nasty rumor." Alan stated, slightly annoyed. It sounded like Eric didn't believe him. At least, not fully. "Trust me, Eric, you know me better than anyone. Would I ever lie to you?"

"I know ya have never before, Al." Eric replied, still keeping his head down. Feeling like an ass for not believing his friend, he began to rub the back of his neck. "Jus' who's ta say ya wouldna cover fer yer lover."

"And why would I date someone who didn't treat me with respect?" the brunet countered, hands on his hips.

Sheepishly, Eric lifted his head and looked at Alan. "Ya I know, Al. Bu' ya have been alone fer so long. An' he is givin' ya attention. Is it so hard fer ya to see it from my point of view. Ya have never been in a relationship before. If ya didna want to lose the affection ya have been receivin', who's ta say ya wouldna cover fer him...is all I am sayin'."

"Did you forget I was alone by my own choice?" Alan questioned, "William isn't the only person who has wanted to date me. You have, a number of my doctors have, people here at the office, even that one secretary down at the front desk."

"That don' matter, Al. If yer in love with an ass, ya might nah wanna admit ya made a mistake in choosin' him." Eric sighed. He reached out and took the brunet's hand and gently pulled him to him. Gently he cupped Alan's face and looked him in the eyes. "Ya know I care abou' ya. I don' want ta see ya be mistreated. Bu' I do believe ya or at least I hope I am believin' ya. Does tha' make any sense ta ya, Alan?"

"Not at all." Alan shook his head, "You were so happy for me when you found out about William and I…why change that over one nasty rumor that has absolutely no proof to back it up?"

Sighing, Eric leaned his forehead against Alan's. He really should have more faith in his long time friend, but just something was off and he could not put his finger on it. And after all that Grell had been though and the way their boss had been treating him for years, Eric couldn't help but wonder if there might be some truth in what was being said. Though he wondered as well, would Alan really lie? To him?

"I am sorry Al. I jus' worry abou' ya. Yer like a brother ta me an' the thought of someone, anyone, hurtin' ya, makes ma blood boil."

Alan sighed and took Eric's hand, "He hasn't harmed me in the least. Promise." He met Eric's gaze, willing him to trust his words.

"Aye Alan, I believe ya. I'll try and help ya beat down the rumors if ya like. Jus' wish I knew who been spreadenin' them."

"Yes, thank you." Alan nodded, "…Oh… William's not going to be happy when he gets here and hears these rumors…the office may be in for quite a lecture."

Eric snickered and scooted back further onto his desk. "Ya bet yer bottom on tha' He is going to pop a vein in tha' head of his. Ya might wanna get ta him before the nosies out there see him. Wouldna wan' him gettin' wind of it before he is prepared."

Alan nodded and walked over to the door, pausing with his hand on the handle, "Thank you, Eric, for listening to me." he said before hurrying out and past the stares to the lift to try and go back down and catch William as he arrived.

* * *

William was in good spirits, despite how early Alan had left him to get ready for work. The smallest hint of a bounce was in his step as his feet brought him closer and closer to the front doors of the Dispatch building. His lips twitched upwards slightly as he spotted the doors opening and Alan's small form appeared. William watched in anticipation as he scurried over to meet him. But something was wrong. As Alan drew closer, Will saw distress in his soft, warm eyes. He was troubled by something.

Dropping the paper cup in his hand, his morning tea, Will hurried to meet the small brunet. His hands reaching up and cupping Alan's face as they met. His heart was thudding hard behind his rib cage. What had the smaller reaper upset? Had there been another demon attack? Was Grell back in the hospital? So many questions ran through his head all at once. Concerned, Will searched Alan's eyes and asked, "What is it, Alan? What has happened?"

"You're not going to like it." Alan shook his head, looking up at his lover, "But I felt it'd be better to tell you before you get inside like I had…there…" He shifted nervously and sighed, "I know rumors happen and are for the most part harmless, but this time—it's different. He took the man's hand and met his puzzled gaze, "People are saying that you abuse me physically and sexually." He bit his lip.

"I beg your pardon?" Will sputtered. He could have just sworn he heard Alan say he, William T. Spears, was being accused of beating him and raping him. His knees shook and they nearly buckled beneath him. The look on his lover's face confirmed he had indeed heard him correctly. "I don't understand. How...I mean...I don't know what I mean."

"I don't know. I don't know who started it, or why, but I walked off the lift into a sea of eyes. Even Eric was looking me over or signs of it being true. I said it wasn't at all, but…I'm sorry, I don't know what else to do."

Gingerly, Will pulled Alan into his arms. He rested his cheek atop of the brunet's crown and just held him. What a nasty deed. Why would someone want to spread such filthy lies about him? And then to hear Slingby, Alan's long time friend, didn't even believe him. Will's temper was brewing in side, but he knew he had to gain control of it before stepping one foot with the building behind Alan. Anything could fuel the fire and he didn't wish to add to Alan's upset state of being. Still there was work to be done inside and they could not stay away forever. But a few minutes more of holding him would be alright and so Will kept his arms around his lover. Softly he cooed, "I am sorrier that you have to endure this, Alan. We shall get to the bottom of this and crush the rumors. I promise, it will pass quickly."

"I hope so. You're a tough boss, but you don't deserve such rumors to be circulating about you." Alan looked up at William and popped up on his toes to kiss his lips briefly, "I'll be fine." He promised.

"Still perhaps...maybe, I should hold a meeting. Clear the air, explain that it is just a false rumor." Will replied as he continued to hold tightly in his arms. "Or would that cause more harm than good?"

"It'd be better than if you snap at them and start one of your infamous lectures." Alan pointed out.

"No lectures." Will replied as he let up some on his hold on the brunet. "Would you like to accompany me to my office and help me draft something up? Write the memo or letter of explanation and if that is not enough, then I shall call a meeting to order and make a statement."

Alan nodded, "Of course." He walked over and picked up William's cup, frowning, "I'll also get you a fresh coffee from the break room."

"Morning tea." Will nodded at the cup. "I didn't have time to enjoy it before I left, so I bought a cup on the way in. Such a waste of perfectly good tea."

"I'll make you a new cup, then." Alan promised, dropping the paper cup in the recycle bin just inside the doors as they entered the building, "And then we'll get this mess all cleaned up."

The moment they stepped within the building, eyes began to focus on the couple. William's eyebrow began to twitch behind his black frames. He didn't enjoy attention, not in the least. What an awkward feeling it was to have eyes boring into the two of them as they made their way to the lifts. Needing assurance that he was not alone in this he took Alan's hand and gave it a little squeeze.

"Yes...a fresh of tea sounds nice, Alan." He replied after a moment. He was doing his best to act normal, but the truth inside was he actually scared of what may come next.

Alan returned the squeeze and offered him a gentle smile, "It'll be okay, Will, Promise." He said as he hit the button for the lift and waited for it to open the doors.

William tried to smile, but he could feel the other reaper's eyes gazing at him from behind. He felt uncomfortable and his palms began to sweat beneath his leather gloves. When the doors parted he sighed in relief, the lift was empty. A moments reprieve as he stepped in the smaller brunet next to him.

"The attention is bothersome," he grumbled as he turned to face his lover. "This is preposterous and ridiculous. I cannot wait to get to the bottom of this and hang the reaper in charge of this ghastly rumor. Do you not see the way they look at us?"

"I do…" Alan sighed and turned to him once the doors closed, giving them a moment of privacy as they went up to the floor William punched in the number for. He reached up and pulled him into a brief kiss, "But we know the truth, and they will too."

William slipped his arms around Alan's tiny waist and pulled him close. Their breath mingling as he looked down into his eyes. "This is not fair to you. I am worried the stress may be too much for you. Will you come to me if it becomes too much. I need you to be well for me, Alan."

"You do know I'm stronger than I look." The brunet smiled, "But yes, I'll come to you if it gets too much and I feel I may have an attack."

"That is all I ask," replied Will.

The bell went off and Will released the brunet. They were not yet to their floor, but the elevator came to a slow stop. The doors slid open and two reapers stepped in and joined them on their ride up. Will once more took Alan's hand and squeezed it. The elevator was becoming rather warm all of a sudden and he was wishing, secretly, it would hurry to their floor. The seconds seemed to move slowly and he fidgeted with his tie, using his free hand. Why was this occurring? There should be no gossip, just reports being filled out and filed. Souls collected.

The bell rang again and the doors parted on their floor. "Excuse me," Alan said, slipping past the men he recognized as workers in the building, but as to what apartment they were a part of or their names, he could not be sure. However, once he'd slipped past, they moved to block William in without a word.

"Pardon me?' Will said as he tried to push through the two reapers. When that did not work he tried to step around them, only to find that they moved with him. Perturbed, he right brow rose in irritation and twitched. He adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. "Gentlemen if you would please?"

Alan turned around and frowned, "Excuse me, but he needs to get off on this floor as well." He said, tapping one of the large men on the shoulder, "He's the supervisor of our department, and—"

"We know 'ho 'e is." The man who's shoulder got tapped said flatly.

"O-oh, well, could you please allow him through, sirs?"

The other reaper glanced at his companion before smiling at the brunet. William, who was stuck behind them, frowned and stared at his lover in disbelief.

"We've been hearing some mighty nasty things and, well, we know your condition Mister Humphries. We don't take to kindly hearing such things being done to you. So, we are going to just hold him here for a moment and have a little word with the boss man." The second reaper explained as his hands curled into fists.

"I assure you, kind sirs, that while I appreciate your concern for my safety, it is really unneeded. He hasn't laid a finger on me in such a way as the rumors say and if you would like, why not discuss this matter in a more private location over tea? I was going to make some, we could explain things to you in William's office just down the hall." He suggested, trying to calm the two men who obviously had already made up their minds about William. But Alan had a talent for navigating delicate situations with the skill of a mediator, and he aimed to do this that so that he didn't have to find his lover on the floor with a bloody nose and a black eye.

Will once more tried to get past the two reapers and calmly spoke. "Gentlemen, if you would please. I have important matters to attend and cannot afford to stand here and idly chat about a fabricated story."

Still neither reaper moved and the one turned and looked over his shoulder at the raven-haired reaper. "We'll let you go when we are good and ready. I suggest you keep your yap shut."

"Well I never." Will murmured as he looked back at his lover.

By this time, the situation had attracted quite a bit of attention, the whole department who worked in cubicles standing and watching the exchange.

"Gentlemen, please." Alan tried again, "You are causing problems, not solving one. I'd suggest you get proof that he's done such things before you confront him like this."

Feeling more and more uncomfortable, William cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses anxiously. "Gentlemen if you are going to do what you are planning on doing, then let the doors shut and let us be on with it. I do not wish for Mister Humphries to witness such a vile act against his lover. I will also be forced to report your conduct to your supervisor."

Alan stamped his foot down between the doors at that, "Do you think it'll be any better having to see the aftermath when I can help you?" he nearly cried out, his voice raising much louder than anyone in the office had witnessed from the brunet.

"Yer sick." One of the men stated simply, "Slowly weakening as ya're killed from th' inside. We can' have this man working from th' outside, as well. 'e's manipulated you, Humphries."

"But he hasn't!"

"Wi'all due respect, little Humphries, we can' trust ya."

"Alan has more strength than you realize and he has more courage in his little finger than either one of you has in your entire bodies." Will bellowed as he swung his elbow back into the reaper with the Scottish accent. The joint striking the rib cage on the backside and knocking the wind out of him. His body crashing to the floor from the impact. But unfortunately before Will could do the same to the other, a fist met with his gut and he doubled over. His face red with surprise as he mouthed, "Alan."

"Hey-!" Alan rushed the few steps in, placing himself between his lover and the man who'd hit him, "That's enough! Will—" he looked over his shoulder with a look of disappointment, "Violence won't solve anything here. You'll only fuel the fire that way!"

"I am sorry, Alan." William wheezed as he looked up at his lover. "You are right. I let my frustration take over." Slowly he straightened up, still holding his stomach as he glared at the reaper who landed him with the punch. "I think it best that we get out of the lift. Gentlemen, I urge you to return to your department and let mine get back to work. You got what you came for."

Alan waited for William to step off the lift before he helped up the fallen reaper, "I'm sorry for what he did, but I wish you had listened so we could avoid such violence." He sighed before stepping off and hitting the button to have the doors close.

William's hand still continued to rub his mid section as Alan and his self began to head down the corridor. Eyes continued to follow them as the moved and Will's irritation grew. He wanted desperately to be behind closed doors and reclaim some dignity and privacy. The only solace as the walked was having Alan next to him.

He peered down at the brunet and whispered, "What in the Hell was that all about it? I mean, honestly...it is not their place to take matters in their own hands. I shall be busy writing more than a memo. I will need to fill out a harassment report now as well. Can this day get any worse?"

"You threw the first punch." Alan reminded him, "Be sure to include that in case they file the same. It wouldn't do to make it sound as if you were trying to hide it." He stepped forward and opened the door for Will and closed it behind them, "Let me see the damage."

Will gingerly sat down on the sofa he kept in the corner of his office. The reaper who punched him, had a rather hard fist and he was sure a bruise was forming. Slowly he began to unbutton his waist-coat.

"I threw the first punch, indeed and I will be sure to include that. There seemed to be no reasoning with the two of them. And you know as well as I that they were there to teach me a lesson. I was going to get it, regardless if I threw the first punch or not," replied Will as he began on his shirt buttons.

"It was still a childish thing to do." Alan scolded, kneeling down on the floor to part the man's shirt and take a look, "You should probably put ice on this. It's starting to swell."

"In the freezer, there in the corner. I keep ice packs for when I get injured in the field." Will pointed, hissing. He looked down and sure enough his pale flesh was beginning to purple. The bruise would not last long, but until it healed, it was going to be very painful to move. "I think he hit actual bone. At least that is what it felt like."

Alan moved away and retrieved the ice back, returning and gently applying it to William's stomach, holding it in place. "…You should be careful until this matter is all cleared up." He suggested with a sigh.

William hissed, his face displaying his discomfort as the pack touched his battered flesh. He placed his hand over Alan's and looked up at his pained face. Will felt bad for landing the first punch. It would have been one thing to defend or even punch the asinine youngling after he had been hit. But instead he struck first. He was sure new rumors would begin to spread about this incident, the truth obscured in the process, but that could not be helped.

"I am terribly sorry for handling that poorly." He spoke softly as he touched Alan's cheek with his free hand. "I believe I have just made things far worse for the two of us."

"Lets hope I don't have a moment of clumsiness and walk into a door, giving myself a black eye, then." Alan smiled weakly as he lowered himself to his knees in front of his lover, "We'll get through this—together. But you really should control that temper."

"I am thinking..." Will began to speak, his eyes following his lover's movements "After this case has come to a close and Dispatch gets back into order. I should take a sabbatical...with you."

"Are you sure? I mean, you don't even like the amount of work build-up on your desk when you return from a day's leave…"

Of course Will was not sure it was a good idea. He hated the thought of leaving work. He had been out far to long recently with the incident that left him in a hospital bed. No. It was never a good time to take off from work. Still, there was Alan and the rumors. So much had been going on recently. Their relationship was not starting off well and all William wanted was to lie in Alan's arms. He was most happy, alone, with the brunet.

"Yes...yes I am sure. A vacation with you. No rumors. No demons. Just you and I," he replied.

"I'd like that—maybe we could go someplace nice—someplace far away." Alan suggested, kissing William's fingers.

William genuinely smiled down at Alan. His thumb slowly caressing his pale lips. "Anywhere you would like, so long as you are with me," he said softly.

The pain in his abdomen started to fade. He let go of Alan's hand that held the ice pack in place and reached out, cupping the side of his face with his now freed hand. William's cheeks felt like they were growing warm. Most likely they were turning red too, but he didn't care. His eyes never leaving Alan's. Carefully he leaned forward. Gently he pressed their mouths together.

"I want you." He whispered into the kiss as his tongue tried to force its way into Alan's mouth.

Alan tilted his head, pressing his cheek to the cooled hand of his lover as he returned the kiss tenderly, but then pulled back slightly, holding up a finger between their lips to act as a buffer, "As much as some office play could be fun; one, we are here to work and have yet to start on anything productive, and two…right now…if they hear me moaning through the door…they may think you are forcing me, and we want to rumors to die out." the brunet reminded gently.

Searching Alan's eyes, Will paused and contemplated what is lover was saying. But right now, in this moment, he wasn't thinking clearly. His lust was beginning to burn. "You're right, but I cannot help it, Alan. I feel like I am burning up. I want you so bad," desperately he replied as tried to move Alan's finger out of the way and kiss him once more.

Alan sighed and looked down to check his watch, "We could spare…maybe five minutes before we risk major overtime for the both of us." He thought aloud. "But we still shouldn't go too far…we are on the clock."

"I'm injured. I highly doubt I could do much, Alan. Still I will take whatever you will allow me." Will nearly growled as he captured the brunet's lips again. He didn't care that he was injured. The pain was all but gone now and a new pain was beginning to form in his trousers.

"You aren't all that in-!" Alan started pointing out to the man that the bruise and swelling would be gone before he knew it, but was cut off by hot lips crashing down onto his as needy hands seemed to pull him up onto the sofa.

William's lust was beginning to override his senses. His temperature was rising and his need growing. Gently he began to lower the brunet onto his back. Subtly he let his gloved hand slide down Alan's body between them. His fingers glided over Alan's groin and caressed him through his trousers.

"I yearn for you," whispered Will as he continued to kiss and taste Alan's lips, "desperately."

"Will…not too far…" Alan breathed, feeling his body react, "Here, keep your hands up here, it'll help." He suggested, guiding Will's hands up to his chest.

"Alan..." Will breathed his name as he began to press kisses to the brunet's jawline, slowly trailing down to his neck. His hand, the one Alan had moved back to his chest, began to push Alan's coat from his shoulder. "I need to touch you."

"We really shouldn't, not here right now…" the brunet insisted, stretching his neck and turning his head to grant access.

Ignoring Alan's words, William proceeded to suckle his delicate skin. A tiny purple bruise surfacing just at the edge of his white dress shirt. As he feasted on his lover's flesh, William's hand began to slither down Alan's body once more. The buttons on Alan's waistcoat popping free in the process. Will's temperature was still climbing. He was no longer warm, but burning hot. He felt like he was in the middle of the desert with the sun beating down upon his back. He was on fire. Alan the only thing that could dowse his flames. He grunted as he tugged on the brunet's shirt, trying to free it from the confines of his trousers, the waistcoat now fallen open.

A tingle racked through Alan's body, and he let slip a louder moan. "Will…I love you, but its not the best time…" he protested once more. He wanted to, and he still wanted it. William was amazing, and he loved him more than anything. He just knew that it wasn't an appropriate time to do such things, and—William would know that too. So why wasn't he-?

"William, are you feeling alright?"

William raised his head and looked down at Alan. "Yes. Why would I not be?" He asked in turn before lowering his mouth to the brunet's. He resumed fumbling with Alan's belt buckle. Inside his own trousers, William's cock grew harder with anticipation. He was overly excited now, but unaware of how much so.

Alan groaned and shifted to get more comfortable under the supervisor, "But—work, and…this isn't like you…"

"How so?" Will asked as he nipped the brunet's neck. "I thought it was...obvious that I crave you." His fingers unhooked the button on Alan's trousers and slowly began to lower the zipper of his fly. "I burn for you whenever I am not touching you."

"I mean—acting like this at work!" Alan squeaked.

William slipped his hand beneath the waist of the brunet's trousers, seeking the buried treasure that was hidden within the confines of the black fabric. He groaned as his palm rubbed Alan's aching hardness. "Ahh...Alan...don't deny what your body is longing to do."

"I'm not—just, trying to delay it a bit—until we can go home…" Alan grabbed his wrist to stop him, "Please—so we don't hurt your reputation further."

"You'll deny me just because we are in my office and not my bed?" Will snapped. "You've worked me up Alan. And now you wish to splash cold water over my head? No one is going to hear us. No one one is going to see us."

Raising his head, William looked over at the closed door. His eyes were focused on the knob and the lock that sat in the middle of it. "The door is locked, Alan. No one will disturb us." Once more he lowered his head and began to kiss the brunet, while his hand moved to caress Alan's length.

"I didn't start this, William." Alan pointed out, pushing him up off him and sitting up, "I'm going to work." He started to fix his clothes, "We can continue this later."

William grabbed the brunet by the legs and pulled him back down, pinning him beneath his body. "I do not want to wait till later," he growled.

The rim around William's bright green eyes turned red just before he closed them and captured Alan's lips, attempting to swallow his protests. All rhyme and reason leaving his mind. He was in heat. Lust consuming his every thought.

Alan gasped and let out a startled cry as he reacted without thought and struck out, slapping William across the cheek, "If you do this right now—you will be guilty of what everyone thinks you did! I said no, William!"

Startled by the slap from Alan's hand, William shook his head. His eyes grew wide with guilt as he looked down into Alan's face. Quickly he climbed from the sofa and stumbled to his desk. He was breathing heavily. What had he been about to do? Sheepishly he looked over his shoulder, his eyes downcast. What had gotten into him?

"What have I done?" Will gasped as he collapsed to the floor, pressing his back against his desk. Confused, he swiped a hand through his hair. He was drenched in sweat. He couldn't look up. He couldn't meet Alan's gaze. "I'm sorry. I...I do not know what came over me. Forgive me?"

Alan said nothing as he tucked in his shirt, fixed his bolo tie and buttoned his vest and jacket again, straitening it out before taking long strides to the door, "I will, but not right now. I'd suggest you get your thoughts straight and start thinking with the right head – and fast. Honestly, what in the name of Styx were you even thinking?!" he scolded before unlocking the door and disappearing through the open door, on his way back to his own office where he could finally get to work.

Hearing the door click behind the brunet, William lowered his head to his hands. His elbows resting on his knees. Shocked and uncertain as to what had just happened. And a little afraid of what he had nearly done, Will's eyes filled with water. Unable to contain his emotions, he let the tears spill. His shoulders rose and fell with each sob. The rumors he was suppose to be disbursing, he had almost made true. He was in love with Alan. He would never take anything by force from him.

He raised his head and looked over at the empty sofa. His vision obscured by his tears. "Help me, I almost..." But Will couldn't finish the sentence. Instead he fell to his side and curled up into a ball. Still holding his head, he squeezed his eyes shut and continued to weep. Never aware of the grinning shadow watching from the corner of his office.

* * *

**-To be continued**


	21. Chapter 21

Alan sighed, eating his lunch alone for the first time since he'd started dating William. He couldn't quite face the man yet. He hadn't shown it, but he'd been truly frightened when William had grabbed him and dragged him back down after he told the man to wait until after work. He'd never seen William like that before. Sure, the man had a temper, but he'd always been respectful and made sure Alan wanted to do things with him before getting fully in the mood.

"Mister Humphries?" Lily called out as she entered Alan's quaint little office with a stack of papers in her hands.

The man had not left his office all day and she assumed he was hauled up inside avoiding all the rumors floating around. A matter of fact Mister Spears had not left his office all day either. Not after his little display of affection for the thorn ridden reaper. Inside she gleamed at the memory of the show she had been unknowingly privileged to watch.

Alan was too lost in thought to hear her as she stepped in, and he continued to slowly munch on his apple slices as he stared blankly at a report on his desk.

Receiving no greeting, Lily casually walked up to the distracted reaper. She stopped just before his desk. And with a devilish smirk, she dropped the files onto it and announced rather loudly, "Mister Humphries, I have some paper work needing your attention, Sir."

"Yaihh!" Alan yelped in surprise, jumping in his seat. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked up. "M-Miss Lily." He sighed, "I didn't hear you…"

"Yes, I know Sir." She frowned, trying to look concerned. "I announced myself, but you didn't respond. I take it something is wrong." She looked towards the door and then back at him and whispered, "Is it the rumors?"

"No—yes—I just…it's more than that." He sighed, "The rumors aren't true at all, but…I'm worried about Will. Rumors this damaging are a problem, and it's put him under a lot of stress, it seems…"

"Oh, really? I thought Mister Spears was always calm, cool and collective...even in stressful situations. Well at least that was what I was told. And he does appear to always have is head on straight." She smiled as she walked over to the window and began fiddling with the little flowering plant that Alan kept in his office. "These are pretty. What are they?"

"Every man has his limits." Alan pointed out, "Those are dendrobium orchids, they represent love, luxury, beauty and strength…William gave them to me from his garden on our third date." He smiled, "He said they suit me."

"You really do love Mister Sears, don't you?" Lily giggled as she turned back around and faced Alan. "I don't know much about him, but from what I have seen I think you two suit each other quite handsomely. Though I must have to admit, I would have never pictured him fancying the company of men."

"Most would say 'anyone at all'. But you didn't transfer here when he was single." Alan nodded with a small smile, standing up and walking over to the potted plant, taking a moment to enjoy the delicate scent it let off into the air of his office, "But no one else has seen the side of him I have….what he is out of the office."

"What is he like, if you don't mind me asking? Away from the office that is?" Lily inquired, leaning back against the window sill and crossing her arms over her chest. She really could care less about the couple of reapers. After all she wasn't here to make friends, but to destroy the ones who killed her lover. Though it wouldn't hurt to learn anything that might become useful in her revenge.

"Kind, sweet—He's soft under that cold shell of his, and he cares a lot more than he lets on."

"You could fool me with that. I don't mean to be rude, Sir, but your fellow is a bit of an ass to the rest of us. And with the rumors going around today… Well I must admit, I was kind of worried about you. "Lily pushed away from the wall and stopped just before the brunet. Tenderly she reached out and touched his cheek. A slight frown appeared on her brow. "Mister Humphries, you have been so sweet to me and I would like to think you are sort of a friend. I don't want anything to happen to you. Promise me that if anything is going on or does occur in the future, you won't protect him."

"Now you sound like Eric. Miss Lily, I can promise you there isn't any truth to the rumors."

Lily's eyes widened with surprise. "Mister Slingby? Me?" She giggled and then walked over to the chair before Alan's desk, taking a seat. "Alright I shall believe you, but if I see one hair fall out of place on your head...well...I won't be pleased."

"I just said that because you are saying the same things he has." Alan smiled, "Eric's like a brother to me. And with everything that has been going on with that demon taking out William, Grell, and Ronald…I think he's just worried I'm next. I know William's worried about that as well. He keeps making me promise not to go out alone again on field work."

"I see." She replied, "He does have a point. Mister Spears, that is. Been some creepy things going on as of late from what I hear. I am kind of glad I was given desk assignments, instead of field work. I like being safe in the offices."

Adjusting in her seat, Lily crossed her legs and folded her hands into her lap. Demurely she looked up at the brunet. "Mister Humphries, can you tell me, how is your friend Grell doing? I heard he was released from the hospital, but no one seems to know how he is doing. I mean I hope he is well."

Alan sighed and shook his head, "I don't know the details—Eric would be better to ask, he's taking care of him currently. But last I heard, mentally, he wasn't doing so well. frightened of his own shadow. He even cut his prized hair because he thought the shadows would grab it."

"How dreadful," Lily gasped. "But if Mister Slingby is here during the day, does that mean he leaves Grell home alone? That seems nearly cruel to me, if he is so frightened. The poor dear."

"I really don't know the details." Alan sighed, "But at least he's not alone like he was in the hospital."

Abruptly Lily stood. She straightened her skirt out before looking up at Alan. "I really should be getting back to work now. I am sorry you are having to deal with rumors and I am sorry about your friend."

Alan nodded, "Thank you for stopping by, Miss Lily."

Lily walked to the door and paused, slowly she turned and lifted her head. She smiled at Alan and said, "I am sorry if I disturbed you. I just wanted to be sure you were alright. I like you, Mister Humphries. Your smile is contagious. I would hate to see it go away."

Alan smiled and nodded, sitting back down at his desk.

Lily nodded and exited the office. She closed the door gently behind her. She let her eyes wander over the cubicles and the reapers busy behind them.  _Little bugs to be squashed_. She snickered under her breath.

 _'How about a little visit Grell? You must be so lonely_.' She thought to herself as she turned and began to stride towards the lifts. She may not know where Mister Slingby lived, but it would take her no time at all to stop by personnel and find his address.

* * *

Grell gripped a phone in his hand, staring at Eric's number displayed on the screen. ' _Call if ya need me,_ ' he had said, ' _don' be afraid ta rely on me._ '

But Grell had called at least twice every day Eric was at work since he'd left the hospital. And each time he'd only been a waste of time to the man. And now he lay curled up under the bed in Eric's master bedroom, clinging to the phone as he could swear he could see the shadow demons, hear them, smell them…they never left him and they grew worse when he was alone.

Lily stood on the pavement and looked up at the house, a duplex, where Eric slingby called home. Though it was the middle of the day, and bright, all of the lights were on inside and could be seen through the windows. To the outside passersby, it appeared as though the owner had forgot and left the lights on. Lily saw no movement from inside and smirked, "Aren't we paranoid, Grell."

She could sense the redhead, quivering inside, hiding. She raised her head once more and looked to the living room window. Her mind focusing on the frightened reaper. She wasn't here to immediately go to work on the poor creature. No. She was merely here to check up on the redhead. She even brought a small present for him.

Lily looked down at her hands. In them she was carrying a small box, wrapped in red paper. A black ribbon tied on top of it. "I hope you like it, Grell. I chose this especially for you." She giggled as she began to climb the steps up to the front door. "Now come out and greet me."

The knocker gleamed in the afternoon sun. It was warm to the touch as she reached up and touched the smooth surface with her fingers. It was nothing special, just a simple brass knocker. Straightening her posture and painting a friendly smile onto her face, she rapped the metal against its base. The sound of a gentle knock filling the small duplex.

Grell stiffened, lifting his head and peaking out from under the bed with a sweeping glance before crawling out, his bare feet padding across the wooden floor. He straitened and turned on each light that wasn't already on as he walked through the house, never minding the fact that the day was bright and shining through the windows.

His stride slowed as he approached the door, a frown tugging on his lips. It wasn't Eric…and Ronnie was still in the hospital…who else would visit?

The knock sounded again, and Grell grit his teeth in an untrusting snarl.

He ran to the door, throwing it open as he summoned his scythe, letting it roar to life as he swung it down at the woman; it's spinning blade so close to Lily's chest that it cut a button in half.

"What do you want?" he growled.

Completely unprepared for the greeting she was given, Lily's eyes nearly bugged out of her head and her mouth turned into a large o-shape. She stumbled backwards, her heel slipping off the back of the step she was standing on. She swung her arms around and around like propellers, trying to gain her balance. Unfortunately she was unsuccessful and with a loud yelp, she tumbled down the steps on her backside. The gift in her hands landing in her lap.

"Mister Sutcliff?!" She yelled as she came to a stop and looked up at the snarling redhead. "I am Lily Downs, from Dispatch!"

The redhead didn't back down or relax his stance in the doorway, "I know no 'Lily Downs' from Dispatch!" he hissed.

"I'm new. I transferred in while you were away at hospital. I work with Mister Humphries." She replied, still yelling over the roar of the chainsaw. "Please Mister Sutcliff, could you kill your scythe and allow me to stand?"

Grell narrowed his eyes and shook his head, "Why have you come?"

"I was curious as to your well being. No one knows how you are at Dispatch and Mister Humphries has spoken kindly of you." She took a deep breath and swallowed. Carefully she lifted the box from her lap and held it out to him. "I wanted to meet you and I brought you this."

The redhead eyed the box, "What is it?" Out the corner of his eye, he spotted a flicker of shadow. The shape stretching as if it wanted to join with this woman's shadow. It wasn't natural, and his mind took off with thoughts about the shadow.

"Let me up. I will show you. You have no need to fear me. I also work alongside Mister Slingby on occasion. If you would like we could call him and he could verify that."

Grell considered it and pulled out his mobile phone from his pocket, which still displayed Eric's number. "Don't move!" he demanded as he pressed the call button and held it up to his ear.

* * *

Eric had just stepped into his office and closed the door. His shirt was torn and dust covered him from head to toe. He collapsed in his chair and laid his head down upon his crossed arms, residing atop his desk. The battle with unruly soul exhausting him. The report was going to be a long one and he didn't relish the idea of having to write it.

He had just closed his eyes when he heard the familiar jingle ring inside his front, left trouser pocket. It was a tune that had reminded him of Grell and so he assigned it to Grell in his phone. Letting out a little sigh, he pulled the black phone from his pocket and clicked the answer button.

"Grell, are ya alright, love?" he rasped, coughing out a puff of dust from his sod-filled lungs.

"I'm not sure." Grell responded, his eyes glued to the woman, "There is…someone here. She says she works with you and Allie but I never seen her!"

"A woman?" Eric asked, puzzled. "Well, did ya get a name from 'er? I can tell ya if know tha'"

Eric stared at the wall across from him. His mind racing. Who'd go to his house? Perhaps someone to visit with Grell while he was away. There were a small number of females that worked with Alan, but surely Grell would know most of them.

"Downs." Grell responded, "Seems to like…green of all colors."

"Green? Grell, why would likin' green make 'er down? I don' know wha' ya're talkin' abou'." Eric replied scratching his chin, trying to figure out what the redhead was going on about.

"Too bad, he doesn't seem to know you." Grell said, eyeing the woman and lifting his scythe again to point it at her.

"Grell?" Eric called the redhead's name. He was unsure as to what was going on and a part of him thought perhaps he should portal home and check on Grell. Still, he didn't want to rush home without a good reason to do so. "Wha's goin' on over there? Who's this woman tha' is visitin'?"

"Tell him my first name, Mister Sutcliff. Tell him it is Lily. He knows me I swear." She pleaded as her eyes fell on the sharp teeth of his scythe. "Say Lily...please?"

"There is no 'Lily' at Dispatch!" Grell yelled, dropping the phone and raising his scythe over his head to attack, "I won't be bested by a demon twice!"

Eric heard the redhead shout the name Lily, followed by Grell's scythe starting up. "Ah, Shite!" He swore into the phone. "Grell, don' hurt the lass. She works here with us. Grell? Grell?!" Eric held the phone from his ear and stared at it for a moment. His widening. "Ah, Hell!"

Lily yelped and manifested her scythe. It was a small crescent shaped sickle and it bore a Celtic print upon its handle. It had belonged to the reaper she had murdered and disposed of. She claimed the reaper tool for herself the day she took over the young woman's apartment. Now, with the sickle shinning in her hand, Lily shouted over the roar of the revving chainsaw. "If I was a demon, how could I manifest a reaper's scythe?"

"Stole it!" Grell snarled, swinging his chainsaw down at her. A look of madness in his murderous eyes.

"No!" Lily screamed as she rolled out of the way. The chainsaw buzzing next to her as it met the concrete. "Mister Sutcliff, stop!"

"Grell wha' do ya think yer doin'?" Eric's timbre voice rang out behind the redhead. "Tha's Miss Downs. I didna understand ya over the phone, love."

When Eric got no answer from the redhead, but could hear Grell's scythe in the background and the panic in Lily's voice; he immediately opened a portal inside his office and passed through it. He emerged from behind Grell just as he struck the sidewalk next to the young woman's head.

Lily turned and looked over her shoulder and sighed in relief as her eyes fell on the blond. Her body began to relax slightly, but as she rolled back over and into a sitting position, she never took her eyes off of Grell's scythe. She was still too shaken to stand up and she also feared making any sudden movements that might draw the redhead's attention back to her. It would be better to wait for the blond to calm the redhead down first.

"It's a demon!" Grell insisted, though he didn't pick up his scythe for another attack as it continued to cut deep into the ground, "The shadows—they are attracted to her!"

"Grell, it's the middle of the day. The sun is shinnin'. Course ther' is goin' be shadows an' the're gonna be surroundin' the lass. I got shadows surroundin' myself as well an' so do ya. Look Grell." Eric softly replied, pointing to the ground at Grell's and his shadows as he stepped closer to the redhead. "Love, its a'right. I'm here."

"No—it's attracted to her…one bent her way!" Grell trembled. He'd seen it—hadn't he? He was starting to doubt himself. Dropping his scythe, it sputtered to a stop and let silence fill the air again as he dropped to his knees, "But I did…see it…"

Lily lay back on the warm sidewalk and stared up at the blue sky. She let out a big pent up breath as the chainsaw quieted. Her heart was still racing and she closed her eyes willing it to calm. Her hands trembled as she clutched the box still in her hands. She hadn't bargained for that reaction. Still inside she couldn't help but smile just a bit.

"Grell, love. Yer not crazy, but ya must have thought ya saw somethin', cause Lily ther' is one of us. She wouldna hurt a fly." Eric soothed as he knelt down next the redhead and gently pulled him into his arms. "Ah Grell, I got ya. No one is goin' ta hurt ya ever again."

"S-sorry…" Grell gasped, looking out the corner of his eye at Lily. She did look like a normal reaper….why had he thought she was a demon? Maybe he really was loosing his mind like his psychiatrist had suggested? Maybe it wasn't smart for him to have access to his scythe, currently…

"It's alrigh', love. I am sure ya gave her a right scare, but I am sure she understands an' won' hold it against ya, Grell."

Lily sat up again and looked at the pair of reapers. She painted a smile on her lips as her eyes fell on Grell. "It's alright, Mister Sutcliff. You have been through a lot. I should have waited until Mister Slingby was here. I just thought you might like some company. I apologize."

"Eric…" Grell swallowed and looked pleadingly up at him, "I…don't think it's….safe for me to have my scythe—maybe you should take it and turn it into the scythe department for storage until I'm…sane again." He hated parting with his beloved scythe, but he'd almost killed someone simply because they wanted to visit him!

"Grell," breathed Eric. Tenderly he wiped crimson locks from Grell's face. "Are ya sure? I don' wan' ya ta feel ya need ta give it up. This was jus' a simple misunderstandin'. Tha' is yer babe an' I know ya feel safer, knowin' ya can summon it when ever ya feel ya need ta. Ya jus' need ta be more careful an' be sure before ya start swingin' it around."

"I almost killed her!" Grell shook his head, his short red locks falling into his face, "Just like my sweet Madam! It's not safe for others!"

Heart sinking, Eric pulled Grell tighter into his arms. His hand slowly began to rub the upset reaper's back. He wanted to take the pain away. Erase the damage the demon had done to Grell. He felt helpless, but he would do anything to make the present and the future brighter for the redhead. Softly he placed a kiss to Grell's temple and rocked back and forth with him. Lily sat uncomfortably silent watching them. Still she didn't interrupt, just observed.

"…Take me to work with you…I'll be good…I'll stay quiet, promise…" Grell muttered into Eric's chest, "No more being alone…"

Eric pulled back slightly and placed his fingers under Grell's chin. Gently he forced the redhead to look up at him. "Are ya really tha' scared bein' here all alone all day, Grell?"

Grell nodded, "I thought I could…I did…but…" he took a shaky breath, "I hate being this weak! I hate what it's turned me into! I can't even stand myself! I—I don't want to be the damsel in distress…I never did…"

"Grell ya are not no damsel in distress. Ya went through somethin' horrible. It don' make ya weak. Don' say tha'. Yer still ya, Grell Sutcliff. The same Grell Sutcliff I met years ago. Ya still have ya temper an' yer flair. Still passionate an' brave. Tha' demon did some awful tricks on ya an' Spears. I canna fault ya fer bein' frightened. I'd be too." Eric replied.

He looked up and over at Lily, before looking back and Grell and asking, "How abou' we get ya back inside, so ya can meet Miss Downs properly?"

Grell nodded, though he didn't believe it. He feared so many stupid little things. He couldn't control himself at times…he woke up at night screaming his voice raw… He was weak. If he was Eric, he'd never stand for a romantic interest acting the way Grell was…

"Alrigh' up ya go." Eric said as he helped the redhead to his feet. He bent down and picked up Grell's scythe and handed it to him. "Ya hold onto tha' fer now an' I'll hold onta ya."

Once more he smiled at the redhead as Grell took the chainsaw. Then carefully he wrapped his arm around Grell's waist and with the other scooped his legs up. Like a new bride, Eric Carried Grell to the front door and hollered over his shoulder at Lily. "Miss Downs would ya like to come in an' meet Miss Sutcliff formally?"

"Miss Sutcliff?" Lily looked up puzzled as she stood at the base of the steps. "But Sir, I mean no disrespect, but I thought Grell was a gentleman?"

"I'm both." Grell said, trying to take on his normal tone of voice, though it lacked its usual flair, "I have days where I'm a man, and days where I am a woman. Usually woman… Eric-darling is one of the few who refers to me as a woman, though I don't mind it either way. Female pronouns and titles are a special treat, though…since most use male because of my body."

"I was unaware." Lily replied looking down. She chewed the inside of her jaw for a moment, before raising her head and offering; "I suppose if you prefer female pronouns and would permit me, I would be more than happy to oblige."

"Most aren't…or they ignore it and call me…crazy…" Grell looked down at his last word. "…I'm sorry for trying to kill you…"

Eric Kissed his cheek. "Yer not crazy."

Lily smiled as she took another step up. "You're forgiven. I can't blame you either. I was a stranger and well after what I was told, I can see why shadows would be terrifying to you. So, worry not."

Grell bit down on his lip and nodded, looking back at Eric.

Once inside his home, Eric walked straight to the sofa and carefully lowered Grell to the soft cushions. Lily quickly followed close behind them and the blond motioned for her to take a seat in one of the comfortable chairs across from the redhead. She had closed the door behind her and nodded as she took a seat, tucking her skirt properly beneath her.

"Umm... Miss Downs, would ya care fer somethin' ta drink? Water? Anythin'?" Eric inquired as he peeled his suit coat off.

"A glass of water would be nice Mister Slingby, thank you," she replied.

He nodded and then looked down at the redhead. "Wha' abou' ya Grell, can I get ya anythin' as well?"

Grell shook his head, "Not unless you'll unlock my wine…" Eric had locked all the alcohol up, not wanting Grell to get into it and use it as a means of escape from his fears. The last thing he needed was a drunk Grell trying to cut through the shadows on the wall.

"Alrigh' Grell. One glass, no more. I'll get ya some of yer wine ta take the edge off. But then I'm lockin' the cabinet back up." Eric said sternly, pointing his finger at the redhead. "I'll be back in a moment. Ya two take the time ta get introduced."

"Thank you." Grell nodded, watching him walk into the kitchen before turning his attention to his visitor.

Lily's smile returned as Grell looked her direction. None of this was going according to plan, but still she would use what she was given. If nothing more could occur this visit, then the least she could do was make nice with the obnoxious reaper. It could give her an advantaged for another visit. After all if he came to trust her, he would let her in more easily next time. And, she looked down at the gift in her hands, she still had this.

"Here, Miss Sutcliff. I wasn't sure what you might like, but I thought this might help." She stretched her arm out and handed the small package to Grell.

Normally, Grell adored gifts and would snatch them up eagerly, but he practiced restraint. After all, he was feeling guilty for nearly painting the streets red with her blood.

"Thank you—you really didn't have to…" he said, reaching out for the box.

"I thought it might brighten your day. It must be terribly boring being here all day and all alone. I think, I myself would go mad." She replied and glanced about the room. "So may I ask, how long have you and Mister Slingby been an item?"

"…I'm not sure…He was with Ronnie, and then…I woke up and it was me…" Grell said, taking the box and rubbing the ribbon between his fingers, "I think I somehow stole him from my little junior…"

"I highly doubt that." Lily giggled. "He seems to fancy you quite a lot. So my guess is he has been eyeing you for sometime. And I can see why. Mister Humphries descriptions don't do you justice. You're very lovely, Miss Sutcliff."

"Flattery will get you nowhere—but it doesn't hurt." Grell tried to smile, tugging the ribbon off the box and finally opening it to look at the small broach in the shape of a rose. Gold, with a red stone in the center. Grell's eyes widened.

Lily peered into the box and then up at Grell's face.

"Do you like it? I love roses, so I thought perchance you might as well. It...it is like an amulet of a sort. Roses are most delicate, yet they are protected by thorns. And, well, I thought it might help make you feel safe. Like protect you from the shadows," she explained, hopeful that he would like her gift.

Grell ran his red-tipped fingers over the broach before lunging out of his seat and wrapping her in his arms, hugging her tight.

"Whoa!" Lily gasped, surprised by the sudden feeling of being hugged. With her arms trapped at her sides, all she could do was stare; blinking into the kitchen. "I'm glad you like it… This does mean you like it, right?"

"Thank you." He murmured. It meant more to him than she knew, he was sure.

"Hey, wha' is goin' on in here? I leave ya two for a few minutes an' wha' do I return too..." Eric chuckled as he came strutting back into his living room. A glass of water in one hand and a goblet of wine in the other. "I take it ya two are now friends?"

Grell finally withdrew himself from Lily and held up the broach, "She said it'll help protect me from the shadows."

Eric handed Lily her glass first and then sat down next to Grell on the sofa. He smiled as he looked the piece of jewelry over and handed Grell his drink. "It's very lovely, Grell. Let's hope it will." He turned his head and looked at lily, and smiled. "Thank ya lass. It's nice ta see her smile fer a change."

"My pleasure." Lily replied, taking a sip from her glass.

Grell set the broach down on the coffee table and took a sip of his wine, closing his eyes at the sweet taste as he leaned against Eric's shoulder. Part of him wished the glass would be enough to make him tipsy, but he had a high tolerance when it came to wine. Hard liquor, on the other hand, he couldn't handle. And Eric knew it all too well.

Lifting his arm, Eric wrapped it around Grell's shoulder and held him closely. Kissing the top of his crown.

"I should probably get going." Lily broke the silence and sat her glass on the end table next to her. "I only wanted to stop by and introduce myself. Well and give you that," she pointed to the broach.

"Thank you." Grell nodded at her, "I'm sure it'll help. I'll be sure to wear it."

"Yes, you're suppose to keep it on whenever you are alone and it is suppose to repel the shadow or whatever is haunting you." Lily smiled as she stood from her chair. "But I truly have to get back. Mister Humphries will be wondering where I have gone to."

She looked at Eric and inquired, "Mister Slingby, if you would like to stay here. I have no problem letting Mister Spears know that you have had to leave for the day, early."

Eric looked at Grell. He wiped away a loose strand from Grell's forehead. "Would ya like me ta stay with ya Grell. I don' mind stayin'."

Grell nodded, "If you don't mind…" he tightened his grip on Eric's bicep, "I want you to stay—or take me with you."

Lily patiently waited and looked between the two reapers. It was evident that Grell was not going to let the blond go, so she smiled. "Mister Slingby, stay. She needs you. I don't mind reporting to Mister Spears on your behalf."

Grell flashed her a grateful look, "Tell Willy that if he has a problem with it—that it's my fault."

"I'll see ya out Miss Downs." Eric said standing and proceeding her to the door.

"Thank ya for stoppin' by an' thank ya for bringin' her a gift. It was very kind of ya. It's been very hard fer her since she woke from the incident. Tell Spears if he needs me or wan's to talk ta me directly, jus' call."

He looked over his shoulder at Grell. Lily looked as well. "She means the world ta me," he whispered.

"I can see." Lily replied, then held her hand out to the blond. "Well good day Mister Slingby. "

Eric took her hand and shook it politely before opening the door to let her leave. He winked friendly and cocked a grin at her. "Take care, lass."

Lily slowly made her way down the steps, pausing only once and looking back as she heard the door click closed behind her. Her lips began to bend into a dark and mischievous smirk as her eyes wandered to the window, where Eric's shadow glided across the closed curtains. ~I am so glad you like the broach Miss Sutcliff. It is too bad that today's visit did not go according to plan, but there is plenty of time for another visit. I shall return. Until next time; sleep well my little, obnoxious, redheaded freak.~

* * *

**To be continued...**


	22. Chapter 22

A week slowly passed, and the rumors about William being abusive finally started to drop out of conversations. Alan seemed to be fine each day, and there was no real evidence for the rumors other than the known temper the man seemed to have. To Lily, it was unacceptable how short-lived her rumor was. In Hell, rumors lingered for months at worst, and years at best. She hadn't counted on that, and now she knew she couldn't simply start a rumor…she needed something to back it up.

Fortunately, Alan also seemed to spend less time in the office with William, and it seemed the kind brunet was still a little weary of what had happened, and while he and William seemed to be perfectly fine off the clock, while at work Alan maintained a distance. She could use that to her advantage.

"Hey, Humphries! We're going off to lunch, want to tag along or have us pick something up for you?" asked a reaper with short orange-red hair and the basic suit uniform of any officer. They had been asking Alan out to lunch more often since the beginning of the rumors, and Alan sometimes took them up on the offer, but this time he shook his head.

"Can't today. I have too much work." He gestured at the stack of papers on his desk, "But if you want to pick me up something, that'd be great." Alan fished his wallet out of his pocket and pulled out a bill, holding it out to the reaper who took it with a nod.

"Sure thing. We'll be back in an hour or so."

"Thank you, Semus." Alan smiled waiting for him to join his friends outside in the hall before turning his attention back to the document he was going over.

The minutes began to pass, and Alan stood up, gathering a few files to take to the copying machine down the hall.

Seemingly unaware that Alan stood just outside of the copy room, the room in which all the large business machines were stationed, Lily opened the door. Her face cringing as she heard the loud smack. Biting her lip she slowly peeked around the wooden panel. Papers were drifting to the ground, while a stunned reaper winced in pain, his hands flying to his face.

"Oh my stars! I'm so sorry!" She gasped as she rushed out of the room and to the reaper's side. "I didn't know anyone would be there just now. Oh, what have I done?"

Alan had cried out in pain as he cupped his nose and eye, a warm trickle of wetness meeting his hand and lips. "N-no—it's okay—excuse me!" He gasped, turning to run for the men's room where he could tend to his bloody nose.

"Mister Humphries..." Lily called out, but seeing her opportunity revealing itself, she turned on her heel and headed in the direction of William's office. A tiny little smirk appearing on her face and she held tightly to the stack of files in her hand. The office was nearly empty. She had to time things perfectly.

"Perfect." She breathed as her target's door came into sight. She looked around conscientiously. There were few reapers still lingering. Most were away having lunch, but she only needed a couple to be there when it was time for her to make her exit.

None were looking her way as she knocked upon the door. Again she whispered to herself, smirking, "Perfect."

William had finished washing his hands when he heard the knock at his door. Grabbing the towel from the towel rack in his privy, William began to make his way back to his desk. He was still drying his hands when he hollered, "Enter!"

The door slowly opened and a familiar head of hair peeked in. William's face lit up seeing that it was Alan who was entering. Softly he spoke the brunet's name, "Alan."

Lily gave her best gentle smile, hoping it didn't look too stiff. Alan's smile wasn't an easy one to pull off, even when borrowing his image. "I hope I'm not interrupting your work, William."

"No you are not. I have just finished with lunch," he replied. "But I am surprised to see you here. Not in a bad way of course. Just that I was not expecting to see you before leaving for the day. What brings you here?"

"I miss you." The false Alan admitted, walking over to him, "I'm sorry for how I reacted last week to what happened between us in here…"

Will swallowed hard, his palms a tad sweaty. He truly hated being reminded of what he had nearly done to Alan. "Yes, well you have nothing to apologize for. I was the one in the wrong and acting quite not myself." He adjusted his glasses in attempt not to touch the brunet. "I never meant to hurt you and I have no idea what came over me."

Despite the incident, the two had remained sharing the same bed in William's home. It was just that making love had been out of the question. Will didn't understand why, but he was afraid of himself and didn't trust himself any longer with Alan. That day he behaved like an animal, what if he were to repeat himself and try to force himself upon Alan again? Mentally he shook himself, clearing his thoughts.

"I fear I may have created a distance between us." She shook her head and stepped closer to William, rounding his desk, "When I told you to stop…I just meant while we were on the clock. Not…you know, forever." She reached up and cupped his cheek.

"I know, Alan." William whispered pressing his cheek into the brunet's hand. "I just don't want to hurt you. I love you and the last thing in this world I want, is you being afraid of me."

"I'm not afraid." She insisted, popping up onto his toes to press their lips together very briefly. A flutter of a kiss that could barely be registered that it happened. She didn't want to risk the kiss feeling off to William.

William closed his eyes briefly, savoring the fleeting contact of her lips. On their own accord, his arms rose and slid around the brunet's waist. "You may not be afraid, Alan, but perhaps you should be. I scared myself."

"Do you want to still do it?" she asked, angling her head down and looking up out the corners of her eyes at William with a vulnerable look.

"I beg your pardon?" Will said, surprised.

"Do you really think you'd do it again if I tell you 'no'?" She pressed, "Do you really think you'd truly loose control of yourself?"

Letting go of the disguised demon's waist, Will stepped back and then around him. He shook his head and sighed as he stopped half way across the office, his back still turned to the brunet. "I do not know for certain and frankly I do not wish to be tested. It is better that I do not get worked up. I may not be able to stop myself and I could not live with myself knowing I had hurt you."

Lily suppressed a smirk. That was exactly what she wanted to hear, and test his limits was exactly what she intended to do to speed up her revenge on him.

"But I believe you never will hurt me." she said, turning around, "William, don't you trust me? I trust you."

"I trust you. I do not trust myself," replied William. "I want to be with you, Alan. I honestly do." He spun back around to face his lover, his brows pinched together in confusion. "Why are you not afraid of me?"

"Because I trust you. I trust your strength. I know you are not a mindless animal, you have a good head on your shoulders. You have self control."

William rushed forward and grabbed the brunet by the upper arms, shaking her slightly. "Alan, don't trust me. I almost forced myself on you. I almost raped you, damn it! I am a monster!"

Frustrated, William pushed the brunet from him and turned away. He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. "I don't deserve you," he whispered.

Again, Lily almost smirked. She had feared her words would have worked too well, but it seems not to have done any damage to the damage she was after.

"Doesn't my feelings and opinions matter to you? I love you, William."

"Of course they do, Alan." William replied, but did not turn back around, instead he spoke over his shoulder. "What do you want from me? What are you trying to say, Alan?" He had a nagging feeling he didn't want to know what the brunet was getting at, but still he could not keep from asking those questions.

He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, a thin layer of sweat had formed just below his collar and he was beginning to feel warm, like the air in the room was growing stuffy. Before he realized it, William had begun to fiddle with his neck tie.

"Just—trust that I trust you for a reason, Will!" Lily turned on her heel and started for the door, "I'm going back to my desk, I have work to do."

"Wait!" Will hollered, grabbing her by the arm. "Don't go just yet. I need...I want..."

Cursing himself, William slammed the false brunet against the door, pinning her hands above her head. He covered Lily's mouth with his own, his tongue diving into the demon's mouth without permission. William's lust roared to life like a furnace newly lit. He was hungry and desperate. It had been to long since they were one. Unceremoniously he wedged his knee between Lily's legs,

"I want you...I cannot stand it." William murmured before capturing his lover's lips again.

Lily gasped in surprise. She hadn't expected this! And she was running out of time. The real Alan would soon leave the bathroom and she couldn't risk him being seen before she left and set up her 'proof' of William being abusive! Not to mention that while she could make herself appear to be Alan—she was still very much female under her clothes.

"W-William," She eased him back again, "My lunch break is nearly over. We can do this when we get off the clock, okay? Promise."

He was doing it again, William could feel it. His control was slipping once more and he was finding it hard not press back against the brunet. "Alan," he whispered. "I do not think I can wait. I do not think I am strong enough. I warned you not to test me."

"I'm not testing you! I was literally walking back to my own office, Will!"

"Aren't you though?" growled William as he grabbed the brunet by the arm. "You waltz in here and play coy. You bring up things and ask me illicit questions. It gets my mind thinking certain things; and to top it all off, you brush your body up against mine and then graze your lips over mine. What do you think that does to me?"

"I didn't brush up against you! I only gave you one kiss because isn't that want lovers do? Kisses aren't an invitation to—uhg!" Lily didn't know how to delicately ease the man off her, "You're just  _trying_  to be a jerk!" She allowed herself to use some of her demonic strength to push William off her and she hurriedly turned and yanked open the door, hurrying out, a hand flying up to her eye once she was out, as if she had been hit. She paused, staring wide-eyes at the group of reapers who had returned to the office, acting like she didn't know what to do or say before turning and running for the men's room down the hall and around the corner. Once there, she quickly melted away into the shadows just in case someone had chosen to follow.

It had been close, but she'd pulled through. Damn that William Spears! Of all the times to start giving in like that, why did it have to be then?

William howled in frustration, slamming his fist violently into the door. It had just been a moment ago that Alan had been standing there. Now, a small dent in the wood, glared back at the frustrated reaper. The rims of his green eyes burned red once more. The flesh of his body began to feel hot beneath his suit and he was desperate for air. Still, he did not open the door; he did not flee the security of his office. Instead he rushed back to the privy and stuck his head under the faucet; cold water gushed out of the silver pipe, raining down upon his dark-haired head.

* * *

Alan sighed. He'd gotten his nose to stop bleeding and cleaned up the mess of blood that had been left, washing it down the sink and tossing out the paper towels he'd used. He then surveyed the damage with a frown. His eye had started to swell behind his bent glasses, which he'd not been able to bend back into shape without feeling like he'd make it worse. His nose and cheek had already started to discolor, a dark purple and green mix showing through and slowly spreading around his swollen eye.

With a sigh, Alan ran a hand through his hair. It hurt—it hurt a lot, and he had no way of hiding the damage. He knew he'd be questioned about it endlessly once people saw.

Something he didn't look forward to dealing with.

"Alan?" The soft, concerned voice of one of the new recruits filled the air as he walked into the men's room. He was surprised and caught of guard seeing the brunet injured. Tentatively he stepped closer. His eyes closed for a brief moment when he realized he had addressed the higher ranking agent so informal. "I beg your pardon, Sir. I meant to say Mister Humphries. I just…well your eye. What happened to you?"

Alan sighed and turned around to address the boy, "…It's alright…I just ran into a door." He answered truthfully.

The recruit found it hard to believe that it was just a door that slammed into Alan's face. He had been sitting in his cubicle not far from William's office when he heard the impact against the manager's door. Not to long after the brunet emerged with his hand concealing half of his face.

"Sir, I don't mean to pry, but are you sure it was just a door? It looks pretty bad. You really ought to have it looked at in the infirmary and they can help you, if you need to speak with someone about what happened," he offered.

"Yes, I'm sure it was a door." Alan sighed. This wasn't going to help the rumors about William, that was becoming clear, "I'm fine. I'll get an ice pack and I can return to work just fine."

The boy sighed, but also didn't want to come off as pushy, so instead he offered another option to the brunet. "I really do not advise that, Sir. If you won't visit the infirmary, at least take the rest of the day off and rest. If you haven't already begun so, you are most likely going to get a headache from it."

"I appreciate your concern, I do, but I miss a lot of work already due to my health. A headache isn't enough for me to clock out early." Alan glanced at his reflection in the mirror before moving towards the door.

"But Sir, we are all greatly concerned for you," the boy replied.

"Really, you don't need to be. It was the door to the copy room."

The boy smiled, he could tell that Alan was growing a tad irritated and he did not wish to prod further or upset the brunet. He nodded, backing off, "My apologies, Mister Humphries. If you need anything or I can do anything for you, please do not hesitate to ask."

"Thank you." Alan sighed and pulled open the door, disappearing down the hall towards the break room to get an ice pack from the freezer.

* * *

"Grell, love, ya need ta eat yer sandwich," Eric urged as he turned from the redhead and opened the fridge in the break room.

Eric had promised to allow Grell to come to work with him so long as he behaved and remained in his office when he was on reaps; and so far the arrangement was working. Grell was acting more like himself, now that he was no longer forced to stay alone at home all day and was even proving to help the blond with reports and filing. And to be truthful, Eric was enjoying him being there, working by his side.

"Grell, do ya wan' some milk or juice? Also ther' are some biscuits in the bag too. Chocolate chip. I thought ya might like them fer dessert."

"I'd rather have tea." Grell stated, picking the lettuce off his sandwich and flicking it over onto Eric's plate. "Uhg, I ordered no greens and extra tomato…what is this?" he frowned at his sandwich, "I'm stealing your tomato!" he warned, reaching over to nab the lovely red fruit off the other's plate to put it on his own lunch. He then put the sandwich back together and bit into it as the door opened and a short brunet slipped inside.

The redhead choked, quickly swallowing and gasping when he caught sight of Alan's face, "What the Styx happened to you?!"

"Nothin'. I was jus' gettin' the may...what-the-ever lovin' fuck happened ta ya, Alan?!" Eric said stunned as he turned around only to find the bruised brunet standing in the doorway. The blond sat the jar of mayonnaise down on the table, his mouth hanging as he rushed to Alan's side.

"Did he do this ta ya?" He pressed, taking the brunet by the shoulders, "An' don' ya lie ta me."

Alan blinked up at Eric, though his one eye had swollen shut by this point, "Of course it wasn't William! I ran into the door to the copy room." Alan sighed, "I came here for an ice pack.

"Why…would you ask if it was William?" Grell asked with a frown. He hadn't heard wind of the rumors making rounds.

Eric looked over his shoulder and sighed, before replying, "Someone reported seein' Spears hit an' force himself on Alan, while they were at the beach one nigh. Rumors have been flyin' ever since. There was even an incident the next day, where two reapers jumped Spears in the lift."

"The rumors are all just that, rumors." Alan stated firmly, "William doesn't abuse me." he moved to the icebox and opened the freezer, shifting through the items there until he found one of the blue medical ice packs that were kept there. He took it out and closed the freezer before pressing it gently over his eye and nose, removing his glasses first.

"Are ya sayin' someone jus' made them all up? I mean its possible tha' someone misunderstood wha' they saw, but ta flat out lie? I highly doubt tha'," Eric shrugged with a smirk as he walked up behind the redhead. Protectively he placed his hands on Grell's shoulders. "Though tha' man has a temper an' I could believe him bein' a douche to his partner."

He raised his hand and pointed a finger at the brunet, "Even ya, Alan."

"I thought you trusted me!" Alan huffed, "William isn't abusive. He hasn't forced me and he hasn't hit me! We already talked about this, Eric."

"I know we did, Al. But look at ya. Yer face looks like someone hammered it real good an' I know ya are protective of the man," Eric replied as his hands began to massage Grell's shoulders, nervously. "I swear Al, if the man did touch ya, I will-"

"He didn't. I haven't even seen him since early this morning." Alan snapped, "I'm tired of people looking to think the worst about him. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have paperwork to get back to." He turned on his heel and moved towards the door, still holding the ice over his eye.

Grell sighed, "I can't see Willy hurting Allie."

Eric sighed, releasing his hold on Grell. He glanced at the door as he moseyed over to the chair across from Grell and took his seat, "Are ya tellin' me after the way Spears has treated ya over the years, ya can't imagine him possibly hittin' Alan? Are ya shittin' me, Grell? Ya of all people should know wha' kind of temper he has."

"I tested his limit time after time." Grell shrugged, "I aimed to get a taste of that passion of his after that wonderful time during our final exam~ Willy never got violent with me unless I asked for it."

"Grell, no matter wha' ya did, ya never deserved his violence. I don' care how annoying ya might've got ta him, there is no excuse fer him ta hurt ya physically." Eric started to take a bite of his own sandwich when he abruptly looked back up at the redhead; and added, "Nor mental abuse. Ya deserved respect."

"Oh you poor innocent man." Grell leaned across the table to tug playfully at the man's beard, "I'm a bit of a masochist, darling. If I didn't like it or want it, I could have put a stop to the treatment."

"He's yer boss, Grell!" Eric exclaimed, "He shouldn't be treatin' ya that way no matter wha'. An' yeah, I know abou' yer kinky side. Still the man shows no respect fer ya... _ever_. The man disgusts me."

The redhead only shrugged, "He was my partner before he was my boss. And he respects me more than he shows, darling."

"Yeah, sure," sneered the blond.

Eric peered over at the redhead, their eyes meeting; and without saying a word, he stood and shoved his chair back. It toppled over from the force, making a quite thud as it collided with floor. Eric's stride full of purpose as he beat it to the other side of the table. He loomed over the redhead; and as Grell looked up at him, he bent over, grabbed him by the sides of the head, cupping his face with both hands. He was not rough or forceful, but firm. "I love ya, Grell Sutcliff an' I'll do wha'ever it takes ta make sure no one mistreats ya ever again." Then, Eric kissed him hard and passionately.

* * *

Alan sighed as he sat down at his desk again, looking at the blurry stacks of paperwork on his desk. He sighed, he really couldn't work on them while holding the ice pack to his face in place of his glasses. But he didn't want to leave the safety of his office again. Everyone wanted to blame William for the results of an accident the man wasn't even involved in! Even Eric…

"Mister Humphries?" Lily's soft sounding voice rang through the door as she knocked gently upon it. "May I come in? I would like to check on you Sir, if you will permit me."

"…Enter." Alan sighed, finding no real reason to turn her away.

"Oh! Mister Humphries!" Lily gasped pausing just inside the brunet's office. She hadn't expected to see his eye swollen shut. She expected bruise, maybe even a laceration, but this...this was awful, just down right perfect. She grinned out of the corner of her mouth, proud of her handy work.

_This shall keep them talking for a while._

"I am so sorry, Sir," she apologized closing the door behind her. "Does it hurt much?" she asked as she turned back to Alan; and cautiously moved to the front of his desk.

"I'm sorry, I'd be a liar if I said it didn't." Alan leaned back in his seat and pressed the ice pack to his eye again, "It's okay; it was an accident. It'll heal up within a day or two…but currently, it seems to be messing with my paperwork. I can't work while my glasses are removed so I can ice my eye."

Lily played with the scarf tied around her neck, nervously. She ran her eyes over the stack of reports on Alan's desk and then glanced up at his ice pack covered eye. "Would you like me to help you, Sir. I mean after all I did this to you. It is the least I can do," she offered, furrowing her brows; as she smiled and hunched her shoulders. Standing there she looked like an awkward little girl, who wanted to make things better, but had no idea how to, "please Sir, let me help you?"

Alan flushed, "I wasn't trying to guilt you into helping me with work. You have your own to work on, I'm sure." He insisted.

"I didn't say you were," she replied, "I offered to help. After all I am the one who slammed the door in your face. I turned you into a grape and blueberry pie." She crinkled her nose at the thought and then whispered, "That really does not sound so good, does it, Sir?"

Alan let out a small chuckle despite his pain, "Not very appetizing, but one never knows until we try it." He sighed and gave a nod, "If you feel you have time, I would appreciate the help. But first," he folded his glasses and handed them to her, "Could you send these down to the glasses department? I can't wear them right now so I may as well have them repaired now rather than later and further delay my ability to do paperwork."

Lily nodded and smiled, "Yes, Mister Humphries. I won't be but a moment. Can I bring anything else back with me? Tea? A snack of some sorts? I am sure you don't wish to venture out. Reapers are talking. I tried to set a few straight, that is was my fault, but they wouldn't listen." She looked down at the glasses in her hand, "I made right mess for you."

Alan shook his head, "I'm fine for now. Thank you, Miss Lily."

Lily nodded and turned, she quickly opened the door and left to do as requested. Her grip tightened on the glasses in her hand, crushing the thin frames even more so, the fragile lenses cracking under the pressure.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	23. Chapter 23

The day was long for Alan, after the swelling finally went down and Alan's repaired glasses were sent back up to him, he finally could set to work. Lily had helped him a lot for a few hours, but his work still kept him well after dark.

He sighed, glancing at his watch as he mounted the steps to William's house, taking out the key that William had given him. Opening the door, he called out, "William?"

The sounds of happy barks sounded and the brunet was soon knocked over by an excitable puppy.

"Clover!" He chuckled, petting the puppy.

"I'm in here, Alan!" Will called from the kitchen, wearing a blue apron that was tied around his waist and his neck. He was standing over a boiling pot of spaghetti sauce, with a wooden spoon in his hand. Slowly he brought the utensil to his mouth, blowing on it, before sampling the thick red sauce. It was a secret family recipe he had discovered once upon a time, on a special reap he had been apart of, while in Italy. "Mmm... Just right," he murmured.

"Can't—stuck! Puppy won't let me." Alan laughed, petting the dog as it licked his face. "Ahk-! Careful, clover!"

"Clover!" William whistled as he turned and made his way to greet the smaller brunet. "Dinner is almost ready, Al-Alan what in the Hell!" he exclaimed as his eyes fell on the younger reaper's bruised face. He didn't waste another moment, but hurried to Alan. Gently he touched his cheek and turned his head to get a better look at the once swollen eye, "Alan, what happened to you?"

Somewhere though, in the back of William's head, he wandered if he had done this to his lover. Still how could he have? He never touched Alan's face, or had he? The incident in his office was a fuzzy memory by this point in time. He could only remember getting worked up again and then the violent headache that followed; and the stares he had received when he finally left work for the day. What was going on? What had happened?

Alan flinched slightly from the contact, "I ran into a door as someone was opening it." He admitted, "But its okay, it has already started to heal. I iced it down as father Anderson repaired my glasses from the accident."

"A door?" William repeated as he let go of Alan," someone hit you with a door? Who was it? I will have a talk with them tomorrow. They need to be aware of the importance of opening and closing doors properly."

"Relax, Will, she feels bad enough already. She kept apologizing and helped me with my work a little." Alan flashed him a light-hearted smile and he took his hand, "No need to lecture the poor girl. It was simply an accident." He leaned forward and kissed Will's cheek before getting to his feet and petting Clover again when he pawed at his leg.

"Dinner smells good. What are you making?"

"Who is she?" Will questioned, raising his right brow, "Are you speaking of Miss Downs again? You seem to be spending a lot of time with her these days, Alan."

"Well, we do work together a fair amount. Our paths cross in office daily between filing and copying paperwork." Alan pointed out, "And she is very sweet."

"She hit you with a door, Alan. She has even spent the night in your bed," sneered William," she is always around you. I do not like it. She is not your assistant nor secretary. She has her own job to do. She needs to do it and stop bothering you, while you try to do your own job."

"She is a friend." Alan corrected, "She stayed over only one night because she was hurt, and the door was an accident. She does do her job—why are you acting so jealous?"

"I am not jealous of some filly, that you seem to enjoy protecting," William snapped. He was getting angry over nothing and he knew deep down inside that was what was happening, though he would never admit to it. He was far too proud for his own good.

"Excuse me, dinner is nearly ready, go wash up," he barked as he excused himself and marched back into the kitchen, with fists at his side. For the second time that day he felt like punching something. However, this time, he maintained control of himself and continued to fix the remainder of their dinner.

"…What is his problem this evening?" Alan asked out loud, looking down at the puppy who whimpered, watching his master disappear to the kitchen. He really didn't know what to do. Whether he should go after the man, get washed up and dressed into something more comfortable…or leave and go home to his own apartment for the night. Because he couldn't make up his mind, he dumbly stood just inside the threshold of his lover's home.

* * *

"Be careful, it is still hot," William warned as he filled a plate for Alan, "I hope you like spaghetti and meatballs. The recipe has been with me for a long time. I discovered it while on business in Italy. You will want to add parmesan cheese to it as well."

Picking up the container of dried, powdered cheese he sat it down before the brunet's plate. "Here, I made this as well. I believe it will be to your liking," he said, his tone as dry as the cheese in the jar.

Alan stared down at the plate, slowly picking up his fork. Why were things so awkward and forced? Why had their relationship taken such a turn so suddenly after one stupid false rumor? And why was William reacting so harshly whenever Lily Downs was mentioned?

He sighed and looked up, "You do know I'd never, ever cheat on you, right?"

"Is that so?" William asked as he shook out his cloth napkin, before placing it onto his lap. He took a sip of his wine, then stared at the brunet over the rim of his goblet and said, "I do not believe I accused you of cheating, Alan. Only that you seem to be spending too much time with that girl."

"Your attitude towards my friendship with her suggests otherwise." Alan stated. He sighed William's name on the soft sound as he moved his chair around the table and closer to the man, "She is just a friend. Just like how Eric and I are friends. Nothing is going on between us you need worry about."

William sat his glass down and adjusted his glasses. Letting out a sigh, he turned to the brunet. "I am sorry," he said as he tenderly touched Alan's uninjured cheek, "I must sound like a jealous fool to you. I assure you I am not. I am, however concerned. I have the oddest feeling that the girl fancies you, Alan. And in light of what has recently been occurring at work, I question if she has been...perhaps, somehow involved. She is always at your side and offering her services to you. I cannot help that I find it rather...well I do not like it."

"She knows I'm with you—that I love you." Alan reassured, "And she knows my eye is not your doing. She tried to put the record straight and help me reassure people that you didn't hit me. She's not going to try and steal me away from you."

He kissed William's cheek, "I promise, she's the last thing we have to worry about."

"Alan..." Will breathed, "There has just been so much going on that has been out of my control. I fear losing you. I cannot fathom why rumors of such would be circulating. I would never hurt you intentionally. I love you."

"I know, I love you, too." Alan whispered, kissing William's lips sensually before smirking playfully and picking up his fork, swirled with saucy noodles, and bopped it on the man's cheek, leaving behind a stain of tasty red.

"D-did you...?" William stuttered, surprised. He would have never dreamt that Alan Humphries would smear spaghetti sauce down his cheek. "Why you little... I will get you back for this Mister Humphries, you mark my words. I will get my revenge."

The brunet laughed, feeling like he could finally enjoy time with his lover again, "I don't know what you are talking about~" he teased, taking the bite off his fork.

"Did your mother not tell you to never play with your food?" William asked teasingly as he dipped his finger into his glass of wine. "I think she would be quite disappointed if she knew how her son turned out," he winked and then taking his wine soaked finger, William trailed it across Alan's lips, "May I taste your sweet painted lips?"

"Now who's playing~?" Alan giggled, leaning in and closing his eyes as their lips met.

William's hands slid around the brunet's waist and plucked him from his chair. He broke the kiss only long enough to settle Alan comfortably across his lap and whisper, "So sweet." Then once more he crushed their mouths together, the taste of wine and spaghetti sauce upon their tongues.

"Mmmh, I missed this…" Alan pulled back and gave the man a loving look, "Lets promise not to let rumors drive us apart." He whispered, slipping his hands down along Will's arms, "They don't matter. We know the truth."

William sighed and pressed his forehead to Alan's chest. "I just wish I understood why. Why someone would want to deceive the masses and try to tarnish my name? Who could be so despicable?" He raised his head and looked the brunet in the eyes. "To hurt you, through me."

Alan shook his head, "If I have enemies, I don't know who they would be. No one has ever let on around the office that they dislike me. I had bully problems in school, but those days are long past."

He sat back and picked up his plate, prepping another bite of food, "If it's a jealous thing, Eric is the only person I know of who have ever expressed a major interest in dating me. Of course his feelings are platonic now. Unless…they are interested in you? –Not Grell, obviously, but anyone else?"

William chuckled as he watched the brunet stuff his face. "I pull you out of your seat and sit you atop my lap, to make love to your mouth and you instead, decide to stuff it. And right in front of my face no less. Such manners, Mister Humphries."

"I'm going to enjoy my dinner before it gets permanently interrupted." Alan shrugged, "Why waste such a delicious meal?"

"May I have a bite then?" William asked with a mischievous smirk on his face. "You haven't fed me, since I was in the hospital. I am not sure I can feed myself tonight. I did slave over a hot stove to provide you with such a delicious meal."

"I don't know, you complained last time my fork got near your face." Alan snickered.

Carefully, William reached around the brunet and plucked another eating utensil from the table. With a boyish grin he held it up to Alan and raised a brow at him. "Perhaps then, a spoon will suffice?"

"Only if you stop complaining." Alan countered.

William frowned at his lover and adjusted his glasses, "I was not complaining. However, with this I won't feel so fearful of being stabbed. Now, feed me Alan or there will be no dessert. And I can guarantee, you do not want to miss out on dessert."

"Oh? What did you make for dessert, then?" Alan questioned, taking the spoon.

"Aught, not until you finish your dinner. Then and only then will I tell you what is for dessert. Now Mister Humphries, my stomach is beginning to ache. You wouldn't want me to go hungry, do you?" William teased as he leaned forward and whispered into the brunet's ear, "I am hungry for more than just the food."

Alan scooped some pasta and a meatball onto the spoon, "Kiss for a bite?" He smirked playfully.

"Is that how it is to be, then? Alright, Mister Humphries," William smiled as he leaned forward. Slowly and softly he pressed his lips to Alan's, kissing him. "A chaste kiss, but a kiss none the less," he teased as he nodded to the morsel, "Now the bite."

Alan fed William the bite and smiled, kissing the man on the forehead as he did so. "I really do enjoy your cooking, William." He whispered, "Thank you for cooking."

William swallowed the food before he smiled and replied, "The pleasure was all mine. I enjoy cooking and I enjoy it even more, when I can cook for you. Now..." he glanced at the plate, "would you like a bite, Alan? Do I get a kiss for a bite?"

"Is this how we are to finish dinner?" Alan countered as he leaned in, pressing their lips together gingerly.

"It would appear so," William whispered as he brought a spoonful of spaghetti to Alan's mouth. "I will confess, I love feeding you as well."

The two continued to feed each other between sweet kisses, and whispers of affection until they had eaten their fill, and Alan got up, dumping their dishes in the sink to be cleaned.

"Leave them," William whispered into Alan's ear, as he stepped up behind him and slid his arms around his lithe waist, "We can attend to them in the morning, since we both have the day off. Slingby will be in charge tomorrow and with Grell at his side, the higher-ups feel they can spare us for the day. They're decision, not mine. I received the memo late this afternoon."

"And you waited for now to tell me?" Alan asked, twirling around in his arms and sliding his arms around behind William's neck. "Why didn't you come tell me at work? I could have brought home some of my work to finish sometime tomorrow without being behind for the rest of the week."

"I did not wish to disturb you and second of all, I was not allowed to. You are being secretly guarded. The only ones in that damned office who seems to believe I am no monster, is the new girl and Grell," William replied, his arms holding Alan even tighter. "The Higher-ups feel that after my ordeal, I should take a day off every so often and well it was your scheduled day off apparently. According to the memo, they moved it up a week."

Alan nodded and sighed, "This will pass, I promise." He reassured his lover, "But for now…lets enjoy our time off work together. This doesn't happen often…and it  _has_  been a while..." He winked.

"Yes, let us," William whispered as he nibbled on Alan's neck, "Dessert is ready if you are. I believe you will enjoy what I have prepared for you. Shall we make our way to the library? I have already lit a fire within the hearth and it will need to be stoked when we get there. Tonight, I thought, dessert would be better served and more enjoyable surround by books. We take desert in here often enough. Let us be different."

"You planed something special tonight?" Alan asked, surprised as they left the kitchen and made their way up towards William's private library.

"That is correct," Will nodded, as he paused and pulled the brunet back into his arms. "After our latest squabble I wanted to make it up to you and then seeing as you were injured, which I feel dreadfully sorry about; I am glad that I chose this course for dessert. You deserve to be treated like royalty tonight."

"Our last squabble?" Alan questioned, glancing out the corner of his eye back at William. Had he been so upset all this time? They had only had the one, and that was when the rumors had just started.

"Yes," replied William, "Now let me make it up to you, by tantalizing your taste buds."

Without asking, William scooped the brunet up into his arms, like a blushing bride and dashed the rest of the way up the stairs. He pecked Alan lovingly on the lips as they entered the master suit on their way to the library, but he did not pause even one second; the bedroom would come later, after dessert.

"Close your eyes, Alan," William ordered, gently as they approached the doorway to the library. The warm glow from the fireplace bathing them in gold as William crossed the threshold, his lover nestled in his arms.

Alan closed his eyes, hugging Will's shoulder and neck to help support his weight as he was carried through the bedroom and into the library. The room was warm, which gave it a relaxing atmosphere, but it also made his suit too warm for comfort. Too many layers. He made a mental note to remove his jacket and vest when he got the chance.

William strode purposefully to the couch in the center of the room and very carefully he lowered his bundle, sitting Alan upon it fine, soft cushions. "Keep your eyes closed, Alan. You will not feel me touch for a moment, but I will still be here. I must retrieve something first," he softly spoke as he withdrew his hands from around the small reaper, "I shall be right back."

Alan gave a nod, "Alright." He waited a moment before shrugging out of his suit jacket and unbuttoning his vest, soon draping them over the back of the couch, his eyes still obediently closed.

Hearing the brunet shrug out of his coat, Will peered back at him for a moment, but seeing as his lover was obeying his command, he went on in opening the small fridge he kept near his desk, out of which, he retrieved a tub of whip cream, a box of strawberries and a bottle of white wine; specially made to accompany dessert. He placed them all on the table in front of the couch and picked up a book of matches, striking one to light the candles adorning the polished wood. There was also a jar of chocolate spread and a crystal tray of mini angel food cakes. Two small spreading knives sat atop a crystal dessert plate, next to a pair of champagne flutes that matched the dessert plate and tray.

Sitting down next to his lover, William took one of the strawberries and dipped it into the whipped cream. In a sultry voice he whispered against Alan's ear, "Open your mouth for me, Mister Humphries."

Alan's shapely lips parted slowly, "Not my eyes?" he asked in a soft tone, leaning forward towards William's smooth voice, "Just my mouth?" he slid his hand forward over the cushions and up onto William's knee when his fingertips located his leg, giving it a little squeeze.

"For now," William teased as he placed the cream covered fruit between Alan's lips. He looked down briefly as he felt the brunet's hand on his knee. "Take a bite and savor the flavor."

The brunet slowly bit down, juice from the fruit squirting onto his tongue as he did so, mixing with the cream that soon found his taste buds. "Mmh," He hummed in content, the corners of his lips twitching up in a smile.

A little dribble of red seeped from Alan's bottom lip and down his chin, quickly William leaned forward and flicked out his tongue catching the stream of juice before it dripped onto the brunet's white shirt. "Mmm...I think I like the taste of strawberry upon your skin," he murmured as he ran his tongue along the side of Alan's neck.

Alan flushed, swallowing before speaking again, "It didn't dribble down that far." He protested lightly.

"I know," William whispered straightening up in his seat, "I just could not stop myself from tasting more. Take another bite." This time he brought a chocolate dipped strawberry to the brunet's lips.

Eyes still shut, Alan parted his lips once more, getting a surprise of chocolate. This time, he slipped his tongue out at the last moment before he bit, licking the tip of William's finger before letting his tongue retreat to safety and he bit down onto the strawberry.

"Does everything appeal to your liking, Mister Humphries? Would you like to open your eyes now as well?" asked William as he slid his hand between Alan's thighs, caressing the leg closest to him just above the knee.

"Hmm, may I?" Alan hummed, the taste of strawberries and chocolate still sitting on his tongue.

Will chuckled, but then replied huskily, "Yes...yes you may now open your eyes, Alan. You may also drink and eat and taste all you like. Everything you see before you is for you to indulge."

Alan's eyes fluttered open and he looked up into William's eyes with a gentle smile. "Everything?" he pressed, leaning in to capture the man's lips.

"All that is on this table is part of your dessert, Alan. Eat, drink and be merry," murmured William as his hand slid further up the inside of Alan's thigh; his lips grazing on the heated flesh of the brunet's neck.

"That can't be right… you aren't on the table." Alan pouted playfully before he reached over to nab a strawberry.

William found he could not help but chuckle at the statement and the pout Alan gave him. Delicately he brushed a lock of brown hair back over the brunet's ear. "If you would like to nibble on me as part of your desert, I will not stop you. You may think of me as an addition to what is already being offered."

"Would you like one?" Alan asked, dipping the fruit into chocolate and offering it to William. "Since you have set up such a romantic dessert, it's only right you also enjoy it."

"I would be delighted to," Will replied as he sat back and looked his lover in the eyes, the candlelight dancing in them. "So beautiful."

"Then come and take my offering." Alan insisted, still holding the berry.

William leaned forward, pausing a moment to look Alan in the eyes. He smiled and then spread his lips apart, carefully biting into the fruit; his eyes closing as he covered the berry with his lips and began to chew. A soft purr of satisfaction emanated from him as he savored the warm chocolate and the sweet juices from the strawberry. Yes, this was perfection.

Alan smiled and covered his lips with his own, licking off a smudge of chocolate. "You are incredibly romantic, tonight." He hummed.

"You deserve romance, Alan," William cooed as he nibbled the brunet's neck just below his ear, "I want to give you everything you have ever dreamed of. Ask of me anything and I shall try with all my might to fulfill your request."

"All because of a little fight?" Alan asked, "Will, you don't need to spoil me. I'm happy just being with you. Romance is nice, but you needn't go out of your way to tell me you are sorry. You can simply hold me and tell me so."

William stopped what he was doing and looked at Alan. His face held great regret, but it also displayed deep love. "You always deserve this, Alan. And while I do feel appalled by my recent treatment of you, that is not the only reason I have chosen to 'spoil you' as you put it," he explained as he reached up and caressed the brunet's cheek with his thumb. "I am madly in love with you. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of our eternal lives together. I would like to ask you something."

"Will, I already have forgiven you for that. You were stressed." He took another berry and dipped it in cream, biting into it as he looked at his lover, "What would you like to ask?"

Brushing the back of his hand along Alan's jaw line, William smiled. He was amazed at how readily he had been to give his heart to Alan, but he had and the thought of him never there next to him was too painful to imagine, so he softly asked, "Alan Humphries, I love you beyond the measure of time. I have never felt for another the way I feel for you. You have opened my heart to new possibilities and returned my feelings. I do not want to spend another night away from you. I would like for you to move in permanently with me, here." He waved his hand, motioning to his home as he glanced around the room. "This house is to large for one. It needs warmth and love. You fill it with both. Say you will accept my offer?"

Alan blinked up at William, "You want me to move in with you?" he blushed, "Are you sure? I mean…it's a big step, isn't it? We haven't been together very long."

"We have known each other a long time and as for our personal relationship. I believe despite only being a few months, we have indeed been together long enough. You have been spending more time here and for me that is enough," Will replied, but then he wondered if Alan didn't want that. Perhaps he didn't feel the same.

"Do you not want to live with me, Alan? Are you not ready for such a step?" he asked pensively.

"No! No, Will, I just worry that we move too fast is all. I've never done any of this before and don't want to make a mistake that will end the special thing we have." Alan insisted, "I would very much like to…but I want to make sure you think we are ready for it."

Will's hand slipped behind Alan's head, holding him there as he leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together. As their eyes met, he smiled and whispered, "I do not think we are moving to fast. I believe now is the appropriate time. Clover adores you. I adore you. I want to come home each night and have dinner with you. Read to one another and find comfort in each other's arms as we sleep each night in the same bed. I have been alone too long and thus have you."

Alan nodded and smiled, "Then—yes. Yes, I'll move in with you. I can start packing tomorrow and talk to the complex owner about my lease."

"You will?!" William's brows rose with surprise. "I love you."

Saying nothing more, William covered Alan's with his own, kissing delicately and passionately. Slowly he began to lower the brunet onto his back, carefully sliding a pillow beneath his head. "Mmm..." he moaned as he gave a moments pause and raised his head to look down into his lover's in the eyes. "Shall we finish our dessert now?"

Alan smiled and nodded, "Yes, lets finish dessert."

"But I do have you now on your back. Perhaps some other form of dessert is in order here," William smirked as he lowered his head and kissed Alan tenderly, "Would you like to try something else for dessert, Mister Humphries?"

"I," Alan flushed a deep red, "was expecting that more than the strawberries." He admitted, slipping his arms around his lover and pulling him closer. "But we should clean this up so Clover doesn't get into it-especially the chocolate."

"Keep...door...shut...he's...outside...room," William murmured between the kisses he bestowed upon his lover's neck, trailing to his throat, "I...you...covered...chocolate."

Alan flushed deeper, "You know my skin is sensitive to your lips and tongue." He moaned, closing his eyes. He shifted under William and groaned in pleasure, "William..."

"Alan..." William moaned in response as he carefully wedged his knee between the brunet's legs, "You are like...some hypnotic drug."

"...Then take me. Enjoy me so that I can enjoy you." The burnet whispered, hardly believing the 'kinky' pillow talk he was using. It felt different. But he didn't mind the embarrassment as long as it was only William who could hear him say such things.

Wasting not another moment, William began to pop open the buttons that ran down the front of Alan's shirt. His pulse had already began to race, yet he tried to remind himself to pace himself. He wanted tonight to be romantic and special. To gift his lover, not selfishly take from him. But with each new button that gave way and revealed another section of Alan's warm flesh, William felt the reins of his passion slipping. Behind his lids, his eyes began to glow faintly.

"William-kiss me... let me kiss you." Alan moaned, pulling William up to find his lips before loosening the man's tie. "Want you... Love you..."

"Yes Alan...kiss you...I will, "William groaned as he ravenously took his lover's lips. Gently and with as much control as he could conjure, he ground into the smaller brunet, proving how ready he was and how badly he yearned for him.

"Alan...sweet Alan," he groaned once again, shifting his weight slightly.

"You-have mmmmh-ah! -oil or something-for this-near-by?" Alan moaned into his lips, rolling his hips to further pleasure them both through the layers of their slacks. He tossed the tie aside and worked open buttons, exposing his chest.

"On the...umm-table," Will breathed as he glanced at the bottle of lubrication sitting next to the wine, from the corner of his eye. "It's new, just for tonight and scented," he murmured against Alan's lips.

"Then-we can let loose." Alan confirmed in a lust-saturated tone, "Do what we couldn't last time you wanted to..." He pushed the shirt and vest from Will's shoulders and down his arms, "I want you, too."

"Oh Alan, even after everything?" William questioned as he looked down at the brunet, brushing the hair that had stuck to his temple, away. "After the way I treated you in my office, you still want me...like this?"

William closed his eyes and shook his head, "I apologize, I still feel awful for my behavior. I want you, I want you more than words can explain – I just do not want to hurt you ever again."

"You had one off day due to the shock of the rumors." Alan pointed out, "I can forgive you for one slip-up like that." He cupped his cheek and breathed in, pressing their foreheads together, "I love you."

"I love you too..." breathed William in reply, "But now I want you naked...drenched in chocolate."

"Easy enough a goal to achieve." Alan flushed, "Help me out of these slacks." He lifted his hips to make it easier.

William hooked his fingers through two the belt loops and began tugging them down, scooting his body down and out of the way. He chuckled as he lost his balance and fell forward, almost landing on top of Alan, "Forgive me. I do not mean to nearly crush you into the cushions. Not use to stripping anyone on the sofa. Afraid this is my first time doing this."

"That's alright-I have never been stripped down on a couch before." Alan chuckled, tugging his legs free of the pants, one sock going with them, and one half staying on his foot. His underpants still stuck around both ankles.

Looking down at his own pants, William kissed Alan's lips and whispered, "Unbuckle me, slowly or I just might fall off this blasted piece of furniture."

"You aren't first going to relieve me of my sock and briefs?" he asked, tapping the buckle of the man's belt with a single fingernail. Creating a few dull clicks.

"Not yet," William teased as he watched the brunet tap his buckle. "I think it is more fun seeing you haphazardly stripped, while you undress me. In addition that particular foot might get cold. Might be best to allow the sock to remain on."

Alan flashed a pout, slowly tugging the belt undone and loose from the belt loops.

"Do not toss the belt, it may come in handy," William smirked as he lowered his mouth to Alan's and kissed him before sitting up again, allowing the brunet to finish removing his trousers.

Alan paused, "Handy…for what?" he blinked.

William found himself chuckling at the brunet's confused expression. "There are a great many things a belt could come in handy for, Alan. Wait and see if our play should come to any of those scenarios," he replied.

Alan looked at the belt before setting it down on the floor right next to the couch. "If you say so."

"I do," William responded as he reached out and touched Alan's lips with his fingertips. Slowly they caressed his flesh as they trailed down over the frame of his face to his throat; continuing further down and passing through the canyon of his clavicle.

"I want you to undo my trousers and remove them, Alan. Then I would like you to choose; the whipped cream or the chocolate," William ordered as he adjusted his glasses with his free hand. His right brow then rose and his lips pressed together forming a tight line up on his face, "Now."

"Will you allow me access to follow such requests?" Alan asked sweetly, trying to prop himself up and looking up at William with a small smile, "Or do you plan to make it difficult by staying out of my reach?"

Will looked down at his body and then back up at Alan, "I see, you have a point."

Looking at their options, William decided to remove himself from the couch. He thought for a moment more as his mind raced trying to decided what to do next. He had never done this before; playing kinky games. A matter of fact, he had to reference a book for the plans he had made this evening; a book Grell had given him as a gift some years prior. It was full of different sex games and romantic suggestions to make sex more interesting. At the time he had been appalled by the contents of the book, especially since it was a gift from the obnoxious redhead. He had all but forgotten about it, until today, when he sought it out; wanting to spice things up, by looking up romantic ideas to surprise Alan with.

"Perhaps... ah yes, I shall take a seat in the chair," Will finally spoke, motioning to the wing back chair across from the small couch. "You can proceed to follow my instructions there, correct?"

Alan nodded and pushed himself up, taking a moment to kick off his remaining clothes so he could walk over to the chair. He then knelt down and leaned forward, eyeing the button and zipper holding the man's bulge in place. It'd be an easy task… but what if he could surprise the man in turn?

Flushing, Alan leaned forward further and nipped the fabric around the button, tugging it up and then down to slip the button out. He then took the pull of the fly between his teeth and slowly pulled it down.

William's eyes closed as he pressed his head back against the chair; a tiny gasp of pleasure seeped past his slightly, parted lips. "Yes..." he groaned as the zipper on his trousers passed over his hardening cock.

Daring to open his eyes, he peered down at the top Alan's head and without hesitation he reached for his soft, brown locks; combing his fingers through the waves of Alan's hair.

"So soft, you're hair is always so soft." he murmured.

"Up." Alan said, hooking his finger's in the waist of the man's slacks, ready to pull them down.

Complying, William rose from his seat, lifting his hips just far enough up that Alan could slide his trousers down and off without difficulty. A tiny shiver quickly followed, running down his spine as the air met his warm flesh. Then once more he lowered himself back down onto the blue cushion and sat back into the chair, his eyes never wavering from Alan's form. Patiently he waited to see what the brunet would do next, before issuing him a new command.

The brunet stood back up, setting the pants down as he walked to the table and looked between the chocolate and the cream. Making his choice, he bent over and picked up the cream, turning back around to look at William.

William refused to smile outwardly, despite how much he was grinning on the inside. He had a clear idea of how he would like the brunet to use the fluffy, sweet dessert topping, but instead of speaking that thought, he in turn questioned the brunet. He was curious as to what his lover was thinking at the moment.

"You have chosen the whipped cream. May I inquire if you have a particular way you would like to enjoy your selection or am I to deal out another command?"

"I don't know what your plans are." Alan pointed out, holding the cream down in front of him in a way that censored his groin. "I'm following your lead and command."

Lifting his hand, William began to curl his right index finger, beckoning Alan to come forward.

"I would like you to get back down on your knees and using the cream, I would like you to feast upon my flesh. Take me into your mouth and enjoy another aspect of your dessert," he commanded, his eyes studying the brunet's face.

Alan blinked and eyed his lover, mentally trying to figure out the best way to do this. It's not like he could dip William into it like a berry. And he didn't have a spoon to help. Chocolate could be poured, but the cream was light and fluffy. It clings to itself more than anything.

"Uhm…how should I do so?" he flushed.

William nearly cracked a smile at the brunet's little predicament, but he managed to keep his face straight. All he had to do was pretend he was at headquarters and dishing out orders. So naturally his right brow rose and he adjusted his glasses.

"Dip," William replied, void of emotion, "We won't be using it for anything else. Your fingers or my cock. I honestly could care less. Whichever way you find you can enjoy the whipped cream and myself, at the same."

Alan nodded and knelt down once more, dipping his fingers into the bowl of cream and flushing a hint darker as he began to spread it upon William's skin in a similar way to icing a cake.

"That's it, Alan," encouraged William with a slight intake of breath, the coolness of the cream surprising him. Even though the dessert topper had sat out for a period, its core was still quite chilly; and though he tried to hide his shock, William found he could not. His aching cock twitched beneath Alan's fingers as the brunet painted the cold white fluff along his shaft.

"Cold? Shall I warm you up again?" Alan asked, looking up over his glasses at William before licking his fingers clean one-by-one.

Regally, William looked down at the naughty, and perhaps eager, brunet. With a slight tilt of his head, he answered him, "Please do so, Mister Humphries. I would gladly take any heat your mouth would offer. Do not allow me to keep you from your task."

Alan set the bowl aside and placed his hands on Will's parted legs before leaning in. His tongue flickering out to taste the cream on Will's tip before his lips closed in around the head. His tongue darting around to clean it off.

"Ahh..." moaned William, his eyes fluttering closed as his head fell back once more. "Yes, yes just...ahh...Alan."

The feel of soft lips and rough tongue sent a surge, no a jolt, of pleasure throughout William's body. The tips of his fingers dug into the upholstery of his chair while another hiss slipped past his own gaping lips.

Alan moaned lightly, taking more of William into his mouth, cleaning his shaft off inch by inch.

Daring to watch the brunet, William lifted his head and opened his eyes. He watched as Alan's head began to rise and then fall once more, the sensation stealing his breath away. He had never experienced such delight in his entire existence. He had never had time to indulge in such frivolous activities, not even his years at the academy. He was always to preoccupied with his studies while others, like Grell, were off flitting about, ignoring their academics and training.

Alan hummed again, his own member hard and starting to tingle with need of attention, twitching between his legs. He sucked in his cheeks, changing the pressure around William as he slid his lips to the hilt. Gagging slightly before he was able to relax his throat.

William held his breath for a moment when he heard his lover gag, but inwardly sighed when he felt the brunet relax around him and resume. Panting, he whispered, "Al-Alan...ugh...careful."

Oh but that sensation, he didn't want Alan to stop. He could become addicted to this feeling. Experiencing it like this was out of this world and so he grew harder with each new bob of Alan's head, with each new swirl of his tongue.

"Mmm-mmh-mh!" Alan moaned as he bobbed his head, the cream gone save the bit clinging to his lips and chin. He gripped Will's knees tighter. Breathing harder as he worked, following the orders given to him.

"Ohh..." William groaned, it was too good and he was getting close. He needed to stop before he came. "Alan, Alan stop or I am going to come. I do not wish to come just yet. Though...though... Heaven's it feels too good."

Alan paused, half way back down the shaft before slowly withdrawing. His tongue sliding back up along it before he looked up at William again, "William?" he whispered lustfully.

William met the brunet's eyes and he wondered if he was doing this wrong, but he had intended they would make this last and savor each other, but here he sat on the brink of eruption.

"I said I wanted to drench you in chocolate and lick every inch of it off you. Yet, here I sit, you pleasuring me and I am close to orgasm," he shook his head, "No, I desire to enjoy your body as much as I want you to enjoy mine. Pick up the chocolate and hand it to me."

Alan pushed himself up again and selected the chocolate from the table, holding it out in offering to the man, his face beat read as he wiped the cream from his chin.

"Thank you, Mister Humphries," William replied as he took the jar from his lover's hands. Hiding his expressions and his emotions still, William scooted forward in his chair and glanced up at the brunet. "Step closer Alan, let me be able to touch you."

Alan did so, his shins butting up against the chair between William's legs. He reached out, brushing the hair from his lover's eyes. "Close enough?"

"That will do," Will whispered.

He hated removing his eyes from Alan's face, but he had to and looked to the jar in his hands. Slowly and deliberately, he stuck two fingers into the jar. Satisfied with the amount of chocolate he had collected on his digits, he began to spread the sweet cocoa over the tip of Alan's quivering cock.

"Close your eyes," he commanded as his fingers began to slide down the front of his shaft, "I want you to feel the way my fingers touch you."

With a moan, Alan let his eyes fall closed, his knees quaking under his weight as William's fingers caressed his sex with sticky, warm chocolate.

"Do you like the way that feels, Alan? Do wish for me to lick and suck the chocolate from your cock?" William asked as he glanced up and watched the brunet's face. "Do not open your eyes, just answer me."

Alan flushed darker, giving a small nod, "I—I want to feel you, William." He gasped.

William smirked, he liked hearing his partner speak such words.

"Open your mouth," he commanded as he placed his chocolate covered digits against the brunet's lips, "Suck them clean before I take you into my mouth."

Alan did as told, parting his lips and soon tasting the rich dark chocolate and humming in pleasure as he sucked it off his lover's fingers. Tongue encircling each digit in turn.

"Very good," Will purred as he slowly withdrew his fingers from the brunet's mouth. "Tell me again that you want to feel my mouth upon you. Tell me you want me to caress you with my tongue. Tell me Alan."

Will's breath passed over Alan's flesh as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to his lover's hip. His hands gripped the smaller reaper's succulent round rump as his mouth began to travel, trailing kisses along Alan's hip bone; desiring to taste the chocolate that clung to his throbbing sex.

"Tell me," whispered William once more.

"Nn—" Alan closed his eyes, slightly embarrassed of the words he was about to speak, "William…I—I want you to lick me!" he gasped, clenching his fists at his sides.

"Good boy," William uttered as he glanced up one last time before turning his attention to the chocolaty goodness waiting in front of him.

Slowly his tongue emerged and headed straight for the base of Alan's cock. Taking his time, he gradually worked his way up the length of his lover's shaft; indulging in the taste of the sweetness that covered it. His thin lips spread into a wide grin as he reached the head of Alan's tense and aching member. Deeply, William groaned as he took Alan into his mouth, his tongue swirling around the bulbous head. Chocolate began to dribble from the corners of his mouth as it melted, but William ignored it and allowed it to drip over the exposed pale skin of their bodies. Growing anxious, his hands began to knead Alan's fleshy ass; and his moans grew louder with each rise and fall of his head, taking the smaller brunet further and deeper into his offering of pleasure.

"Ahh-!" Alan hunched forward, gripping Will's shoulders to hold himself up, his knees shaking more as he was sucked clean; the supervisor's hot tongue sliding along his member, sending ripples of pleasure through him. "O-ohh—W-Will, more…please!"

William's eyes closed as he sucked harder; his teeth grazing as he moved his head up and down, gliding faster over Alan's sensitive flesh. Red rings of fire ignited behind his closed lids as animalistic instincts began to take over. He could feel his lover barreling towards the edge of ecstasy. He knew Alan was close to orgasm, he could feel it, smell it and he liked knowing he was the one driving him to it. Roughly his nails dug into Alan's backside, drawing tiny beads of blood as they scrapped along the contours of his ass.

Alan continued to gasp and pant as his lover pleasured him, "W-Will—close! Ahh, I-I can't…Oh~" he cried out, trying to warn William, even as climax took him and he spilled over into William's mouth and his knees gave out, sending them both onto the carpeted area of the floor.

"S-sorry!" he gasped, eyes still closed tight once his climax was over.

William swallowed what has been deposited in his mouth and licked the remnants from his lips. He was surprised that he had not gagged on his lover's seed, but then again he had never dreamt of pleasing anyone in such a manner before. He could not explain the desire to orally love Alan, but he had rather enjoyed it and would never turn down a chance to it again in the future. He imagined that it would be a staple in their love making from this night on.

"Alan?" he gasped as he lay covering the smaller reaper on the floor, "Are you alright?"

Gently he plucked stray strands of Alan's hair from his sweat dampened cheeks; and as he looked down and waited for Alan to open his eyes, the fires that had been burning in his own closed eyes, faded and returned to cool pools of green.

Alan nodded, panting a few times before he was able to open his eyes and flush under the man's gaze, "Y-yes…I-I don't think I got hurt when we fell over."

William chuckled and then lowered his head, kissing the brunet, "I would never have imagined you collapsing and pulling me out of the chair with you. However, did you not enjoy me pleasuring you, Alan?"

"Yes…I did, but that isn't what you had asked me." the brunet pointed out, reaching up to touch William's cheek.

Blinking, William peered back at the brunet silently. He searched his thoughts, but could not remember what he had asked Alan. "Alan?" he said his eyes squinting as if that would conjure the memory.

"Hmm?" Alan hummed in question, propping himself up enough to kiss his lover's cheek.

"I can-cannot remember what I had asked you?" confessed William as he stared blankly back. "I do not understand, I do not remember asking you anything...exception if you enjoyed my pleasuring you."

"You asked if I was alright." Alan giggled, "Are you alright?"

"Ah yes. However I do not recall asking that. To answer your question, I believe that I am, alright," Will smiled, capturing the brunet's lips in a tender kiss. "I apologize for my lack of memory. Though I would very much like to enjoy more of your body...that is if you will permit me to do so?"

Alan nodded, "The night is young, still." He smiled, guiding him down into a kiss.

"Mmm...should we, perhaps, remove ourselves from the floor?" breaking the kis,s William inquired. His glasses beginning to slide down the bridge of his nose, "Or would you rather us make love where we are?"

"The carpet is soft if you want to stay here…it's better than your piano." Alan giggled, "We can move if you want to."

William chuckled, that night on the piano had not been planned, but it had been enjoyable. For him at least. It had also cost a pretty penny to have the instrument washed and re-polished. Still, he would not have done anything differently. He had been with Alan, having makeup sex and that was all that had mattered.

"If you are comfortable, we can stay where we are. All that matters to me is that you want to be with me, that you love me...Alan."

"I do." Alan closed his eyes and relaxed, "I love you, William. I don't like having distance between us. Promise me we won't let those stupid rumors drive us apart."

"Never," assured William. "Though I fear with your black eye and our fight, the whole of Dispatch will be watching us closely tomorrow. It is a pity, that someone sought to ruin us. And for what purpose? It makes not a lick of sense."

"Our fight? Before dinner? Only you, Clover, and I know about that." Alan pointed out.

William cocked a brow, that was not the fight he was speaking of. "No Alan. The one prior to that. The way I behaved in my office and treated you. What I tried to do to you. I hurt you. My behavior was down right abominable. I do not wish to ever put you through that again, but I fear as a result, the rumors will taken longer to fade, if ever."

"William." Alan shook his head and smiled, cupping his cheek, "That was over a week ago. And no damage had been done by it to further provoke rumors. They were dying down wonderfully until I had a run-in with a door."

"But they saw you run from my office and then you come home with a bruised face. The rumors may have been fading, but that fire was certainly reignited this afternoon. I detest rumors and gossip. There is going to be less productivity tomorrow, due to this latest occurrence," Will rambled exasperated, his glasses falling further down his nose. "I can see it all unfolding. The distasteful looks. And I shan't be to surprised if someone else decided to try and put me in my place."

Alan frowned and reached up to push Will's glasses back up his nose, "I never went to your office today, William. I was too busy with paperwork."

"What?" William exclaimed, his eyes narrowing, "Yes, while on your lunch break. You stopped by and you kissed me and...and then."

Will pushed himself up and sat with his back against the chair he had been pulled out of. He turned and looked blankly at the brunet, then said, "You were there, Alan. I had you pressed against the door. I began to do what I had done the last time. You said that you were ready to be made love to, but insisted we wait till we were home. I do not understand how you could have forgotten, unless you hit your head harder on the copy-room door. You were indeed, in my office today."

Alan's frown deepened as he pushed himself up and stepped over to William, tilting his chin up to meet his gaze, "I spent the entirety of lunch break in the men's room tending to my bloody nose from the door, William. I never entered your office—I didn't kiss you and tell you I was ready for sex once we got home. Don't get me wrong, this is nice, and I am enjoying our evening together, but today I never visited you during work."

Voice slightly raised, William reiterated, "But you did. I held you in my arms. I-I nearly forced myself on you again. You were there."

"You must have dreamed it. You never touched me. William…are you sure you are okay?" he slid his hand from his chin up to feel his forehead, though once he did so, he knew it wouldn't work as the man's body was heated by lust.

In a state of shock, William sat regarding Alan. Was he right, had he done nothing more than dream the whole incident? He shook his head, no that was impossible. Slowly he raised his eyes and looked up at the brunet.

"Alan...it couldn't have been a dream. You were too tangible for it to have been a dream. I tasted your lips and felt your flesh beneath my hands. I heard your voice as you spoke to me. It was your scent I could smell."

Again, Alan shook his head and sat in Will's lap, "It didn't happen…this is happening now." He confirmed, connecting their lips for a lingering moment, "But not earlier today."

William's eyes closed as their mouths met and remained closed as he listened to Alan speak once more. He hadn't dreamt the incident, but how was it that Alan could deny so blatantly, that he had visited not at all? William let out a breath and opened his eyes. He said nothing, just stared.

"I promise, William, It didn't happen." Alan reconfirmed the truth firmly, "I was in the men's room."

"That is impossible. I did not dream that you were there," replied William. He lifted his hands and cupped the brunet's face and then said, "As I am touching you now, so was I earlier this day, in my office. I swear by the stars of Heaven, you were there."

Alan shook his head again, a sad look in his eyes. It made no sense! He was more than certain that he never was in the man's office to be held, kissed and…mistreated? – that day. Yet William seemed so positive that he had.

"How can I be in two places at once?"

"I can't say for certain, but Alan, you were in my office. I put my hands all over your body. I would know if it had been someone else. Seeing your face when you got home, I had been afraid I had done that to you...though I never hit you, but I blacked out for a moment, so I couldn't be for certain that I hadn't hit," Will said bewildered.

With a shaky hand he reached out and touched the brunet's face. "I did not imagine it. I know it was real, you were real."

Alan fell silent, inwardly concerned over this bit of information. He had proof that he'd spent his lunch in the men's room. His handkerchief was spotted with blood he hadn't been able to rinse out. And shortly after returning to his office and sending his glasses to be repaired, one of his coworkers had brought him lunch from an eatery down the block.

He was worried about William.

"Alan, what is going on? When you said you were hit by a door, I just assumed it was after you left my office. I do not comprehend this. How could you be in my office and not know it?" will questioned, rubbing Alan's cheek with his thumb, "How?"

The brunet simply shook his head, "Are you sure you didn't just dream it?"

William let his hand fall from Alan's face and he shook his head, downcast. Had his lover just honestly asked him such a ridiculous question? Frowning and eyebrow twitching, William sighed, "Have I ever been one to day dream, Alan? I waste no time on frivolous things, you know that. I was not asleep, nor did I fantasize about you being in my office. If I were to do that, honestly, do you believe I would dream about us getting into an altercation?"

Alan gave a little shrug, "I'm just worried about you. You haven't been yourself, and now you are saying I did things I never did."

"But you did Alan," William correct, grabbing the brunet by the shoulders and shaking him, "I did not imagine this. Damn it! Believe me!"

"…All I know is what I did today does not match up with your story." Alan apologized. "You can't blame me from worrying about that."

"Do not apologize," William replied, pulling the brunet into his arms. Gently he kissed his cheek and held him tightly. There was comfort in this, still Will felt uneasy. None of what had happened, made any sense and it troubled him as much as it seemed to be troubling, Alan.

"I do not understand what happened this afternoon, but I do not doubt you either," he whispered, "I do not doubt you."

"Thank you." Alan rested his forehead against Will's and sighed, "I wish we knew how this happened…"

"I agree. This unsettles me greatly," concurred Will, "I cannot understand how two events can occur at the same time, with one person being involved in both accounts. This is a troubling thought. It is mathematically impossible and scientifically impossible...even for a grim reaper, such as us."

Alan nodded, a horrible thought striking him. Demons were able to alter their looks. At least, some more powerful ones could…and they hadn't heard from the demon in a long time…

"Will…what if…it's possible that the me in your office today…was someone else with my face?"

"What?" William narrowed his eyes. "That is also very impossible. Now that, Alan, is madness."

Frustrated, confused and now this ridiculous notion. William couldn't take it anymore. That was an even more preposterous idea than him falling asleep and dreaming the whole thing.

"No!" he snapped and pushed the brunet away, "I won't hear any more idiotic ideas about what happened today! That cannot and did not happen! I cannot explain things, but there is no way in Hades someone could have waltzed into my office with a face looking...and a body feeling exactly like yours!

Alan 'oomph'ed as he fell out of William's lap and onto the floor, "Fine." Feelings hurt, he pushed himself back up to his feet, "Then I'm going to grab a shower and turn in." He turned and padded to the door.

William sat and watched. He didn't get up; he didn't call out to Alan. He just sat there watching him leave the library. He wanted to run after the brunet. He wanted to take him into his arms and kiss him senseless, but he moved not an inch. So why was he remaining on the floor?

When he could no longer see Alan, he turned and looked at one of the candles on the table. He became transfixed with its flame, the way it danced upon the wick. Bright orange, holding up the yellow color. The two colors seemed to be one, like a pair of lovers making love and William found it intoxicating. He couldn't seem to remove his eyes from the enchanting flame. That should be Alan and himself right now, in his bed. They should be making love, not fighting over rumors, still he could not make himself rise and chase after his lover. As a moth being led to the flame, he began to stretch his arm out in front of himself. The flame hissed and a pillar of smoke rose from it. William smiled as his fingers passed through the flame. He felt no pain; only pleasure. In awe he flipped his hand over and examined it, more closely. There were no burn marks or blackness from the smoke upon his palm.

"How very peculiar," he mumbled to himself.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	24. Chapter 24

Alan sighed as he slipped into the shower of the master bedroom, simply standing under the streaming water droplets as he tried to make sense of everything. He knew William knew that some demons had such an ability, and they did have a demon problem on their hands. His suggestion hadn’t been all that ‘impossible’.

And yet William had been so upset over the suggestion he’d pushed him away. So soon after they made up and promised not to let things drive them apart. After they decided to move in together… And yet, now here he was, alone, hiding away in the shower, feeling tears sting his eyes.

What went wrong?

"Alan." William softly spoke his name as he stood out side the closed bathroom door. He leaned his head against the polished wood and listened to the sound of the shower as it rained down over the smaller reaper’s body. He wondered if he should enter or let the brunet have some peace. Once more he had managed to mangle their time together and he didn’t quite understand how it had happened again. He had sat there in the library watching the little flame until he heard the shower turn on, via the pipes that ran over head. It was then that he stood and snuffed the candles out one by one, using only the tips of his fingers. Each time a tingle of pleasure assailing him. Now, he felt helpless as he stood outside the master suit bathroom, were Alan presently was. He wondered what he possibly could do to rectify his harshness. He truly hadn’t meant to snap – not at Alan.

Painfully he turned from the door and went to his dresser. He slid open the top drawer and pulled a set of pajamas out. He paused at the doorway that led to the hall and glanced back at the bathroom door. He shook his head and vacated the room, heading straight for the guest bath. There he washed himself crudely in the sink with only a washcloth and a bar of soap. He leaned over and let the water run over his head, his eyes closed tightly shut.

* * *

 

Alan stayed in the shower until the water started to run cold, then he toweled himself off and changed into the warm pajamas he kept at William’s house for when he spent the night.

With a sigh, he stepped out of the master bath and his gaze darted around the room. It seemed William had washed up, himself and was already in bed, sitting up against the pillows, looking down at his fingers as he slowly pinched buttons through their holes.

Saying nothing, the smaller brunet walked over and slipped under the covers next to Will, removing his glasses and turning his back to the man as he set them aside on the side table. He knew William wouldn’t allow him to grab a pillow and go down to curl up on the couch with Clover. He’d end up in the bed, anyway, so he wasn’t going to start that argument; simply settling in and closing his eyes.

"Alan?" Will said quietly, "Look at me, please."

There was a prolonged pause before Alan rolled over onto his back and looked up at William’s blurred form.

His smile was not a happy one, but still, William allowed his face to be less severe as he looked down into Alan’s eyes. Tenderly he touched the brunet’s cheek and lowered his head.

"I am sorry. I seem to be apologizing a lot as of late and that troubles me. I do not like this discord between us. Something odd occurred today and I realize it is just as hard for you to understand as it is for myself. But I love you," he whispered, "Great death, I love you."

“I love you too, William. And anything I say or do is in attempt to help. It hurts when you reject me so easily for voicing a possibility.”

William let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes, “You are correct.”

Slowly his eyes reopened and he once more locked glances with Alan, “All I wanted was to make things up to you this evening and make love to you all night long. I wanted to show you how much I appreciate you. What do I do? Shut you and all possibilities out. I do not deserve you.”

“Don’t you dare give me up! Not after you made me fall in love with you! Don’t you dare give up so easily!” Alan scolded, sitting up and turning to face the man full-on, “A relationship takes work and trust. It’s natural we have disagreements and spats. It’s natural that we sometimes grow upset over things. But you need to let me in to help you. It’s not up to you to make this work. It’s on us both. We are a couple, William.”

William swallowed all that Alan said, but could he? Could he let the brunet completely in? William thought for a moment on this, but he could have sworn he had been letting the brunet in. However, there was also truth in what Alan was saying. Perhaps he hadn’t opened his heart wholly, but he was not use to having someone there next to him. Then there was also too many strange occurrences circulating round them as of late, trying to drag them down and ruin them. It was this notion that frightened William the most. He couldn’t let that happen to Alan, he already had enough to deal with. His thorns and the complications that arose with them.

"I want to protect you," confessed Will, "I want to keep you safe from whoever is trying to hurt us."

“And that’s fine. Perfectly fine, however,” Alan took William’s hand and gave it a squeeze, “you  _must_  understand that I wish to protect you, as well. Let us protect each other. Let’s fight through this together.”

"I cannot," Will replied, shaking his head, "You need not protect me. However, I will permit you to help me investigate; help me find out what is going on. Why the rumors? What happened today in my office? Help me protect you."

“I don’t need protecting any more than you do!” Alan said, raising his usually soft voice, “I am more than capable, just like you!”

"Alan…I am not saying you are not capable. What I am saying is I do not need to be protected. You however, are precious to me. I cannot fathom anything happening to you. I want you by my side for as long as I can have you there," Will explained as he softened his expression and cupped the brunet’s face. "Please, I have never wanted anyone else. I have never let anyone in. I’m scared."

“What makes you think that you are not just as precious to me?” Alan demanded, “I know you can handle your own, but so can I! What—is this because I have Thorns and you don’t?” he narrowed his eyes, waiting for the answer.

William shook his head, “That is not the only reason. Yes it is a part of it. I know you are strong, but you are my everything and I know one day I will lose you, but until then I want to give you the best life you can have. I want you to be nothing more than happy. You do not deserve to be tormented and worrying about me.”

“…Wrong answer.” Alan muttered, turning over and grabbing his glasses to shove on his face before getting up, “I don’t need to be treated as a porcelain doll! –Just how do you think I’d feel if you were taken from me?!” Snatching up a pillow and the extra blanket off the foot of the bed, he headed for the door, “I’ll be on the couch.”

Throwing back the covers, William leapt out of the bed and chased after Alan, hollering, “No you will not. This is your bed now. You will not be sleeping on the couch.”

In just a few steps he caught up to the brunet and grabbed him by the arm, halting him as he stepped into the hall.

"Damn it Alan., I am not treating you like a porcelain doll. Do you not understand?" Will growled as he backed Alan up against the wall, "I’ve never loved anyone in my life. I refuse to let anyone or anything else steal you from me to soon.

“Stop insulting me!” Alan yelled at his lover, tears pricking his eyes once more, “Can’t you see how you saying I need protecting but you don’t insults me?! Can’t you see how that makes me feel as if I’m not your equal? That I’m just this thing that needs to be protected?! Let go of me! If the bed is mine, now, then so is the couch!”

William’s grip tightened on the brunet, pressing him harder into the wall of the hallway. “I will not let you go. You are not beneath me…I am. That is why I seek to protect you. I do not want to live without you. I feel something, for the first time in my life and someone is trying to ruin that. I am scared of losing this feeling.”

“That’s not what it means to me—Let go, it hurts!” Alan gasped, his eyes swimming as William’s grip tightened.

Seeing the fear in Alan’s eyes, William froze and looked at his hands where they grasped the brunet’s arms. What was he doing? He never wanted to hurt Alan and here he was doing it again. His fears taking over and turning to anger and determination, ignoring his lover’s pleas. He blinked in confusion, his pulse racing. The sound of his heartbeat ringing loudly in his ears.

"What am I doing?" William murmured, his grip slowly releasing Alan’s arms.

He stared at the brunet as he began to back away from him. He felt sick and disgusted with himself. He was losing control and he didn’t understand why.

William turned his back to Alan, ashamed of himself and softly spoke, “I did not mean to frighten you or hurt you. Forgive me my weakness, but I need you by my side. I do not know why I am behaving as such. It is not like me, not to control myself. I never want to hurt you, Alan. You are my world.”

Alan took a shaky breath, “You need to get your head in the right place. And it seems I can not help you tonight. I’m still going to sleep on the couch tonight. I’ll see you in the morning.” He made sure he had the pillow and blanket gathered in his arms properly to prevent tripping on the stairs, and turned to continue to the sitting room.

Clover was curled up on a chair and lifted his head when he heard Alan, his tail wagging happily before he jumped down and moved to curl up on Alan’s feet when the brunet settled himself on the couch.

* * *

 

Another half hour slowly crept by before William finally stood. His bare feet quietly descended the carpeted staircase. When he stepped off the last step he adjusted his glasses and took a deep breath. He could hear the soft breaths Alan was taking and knew that the brunet had finally drifted off to sleep.

Clover’s head rose as his Master entered the living room, yet did not move from his spot on the couch.

William scratched his head and whispered, “You really have taken to him, have you not? Thank you Clover, for keeping him company and warm. I have been a terrible lout to him as of late, but rest assured boy, I care for him greatly and I will not hurt him…or I wish not to.”

With a moan, Alan readjusted his position, sliding his arms up under the pillow to better cradle his head as he shifted onto his belly. His hair falling over his eye.

The sound of Alan turning over brought William’s attention back to his lover. He glanced at the sleeping reaper and smiled. Affectionately, he stroked the brunet’s soft brown hair and whispered. “I promise to try harder, Alan. Now…let’s get you into a proper bed.”

Very carefully, William pulled the blanket back and slid his hands beneath the brunet, turning him over and pulling him into his arms. Gingerly he positioned Alan, so his head would rest delicately upon his shoulder; and then with ease he stood up. Making sure Alan was still asleep; William stood there a moment and glanced down at the bundle in his arms. When he saw that Alan had not been disturbed he turned from the couch and headed for the staircase, moving slowly and cautiously. He had hurt his lover enough with his words earlier and would be damned if he dropped him and added to the pain he had already caused. So taking his time, William climbed the stairs one by one, careful not to jostle Alan and wake him.

* * *

 

Alan awoke the next morning late – in fact, it was nearly noon by the time the small brunet rolled over and blinked his eyes open. At first, he was confused as to what day it was. Then over the fact that he seemed to be in a bed. He could have sworn he’d fallen asleep on the couch. With a sigh, he pushed himself up and reached over for his glasses, not finding them on the bedside table. He frowned and crawled over into William’s empty half of the bed to check his table for his missing glasses. He found none.

William must have moved him and forgotten to bring his glasses up as well.

He climbed out of bed and carefully felt his way around to the door, sliding his feet across the floor in order to detect anything he couldn’t see as he moved and felt along the walls for the staircase.

He slowly made his way down, gasping as he missed the last step and tumbled to the floor on his hands and knees, hurting his wrist as he caught himself.

Upon hearing the sound of a dull thud, William stuck his head out of the guest bath and looked down the hall. It was empty and nothing had toppled over in the hallway. Curious he walked down to the Master Suit. He knew he had heard something, but as to what it could possibly be confounded him.

"Alan, are you awake?" he inquired as he peeked inside the room, but the bed was empty.

William glanced at the Master bath, but the door stood wide open and no reaper inside. Pulse quickening, he turned back to the hallway and hurried to the staircase; calling out the brunet’s name once more and louder, “Alan?”

Alan groaned, pushing himself to his feet and brushing himself off before looking over his shoulder at the stairs, hearing his name being called, “Yes?”

"Alan, are you alright? What happened?" William questioned as he took the steps two at a time and came up behind his lover.

He had just reached the staircase and took the first step down when he noticed the brunet, pushing himself up. His heart lurched, he was pretty sure that Alan had fallen down the stairs, at least the bottom ones.

As the brunet turned and faced him, William noticed his glasses missing. Gently he brushed the hair from Alan’s face. “Alan, did you come down the stairs without your glasses on?” he asked, puzzled.

Alan nodded, “I missed the last step or two. My glasses weren’t on the side-table so I assumed they are still in the sitting room.”

"Alan," breathed Will as he pulled his lover into his arms and kissed the top of his head, "Are you hurt?"

“I was taken by surprise, mostly.” The brunet explained, leaning against him and closing his eyes briefly. Thankful that the argument from the night before hadn’t seemed to make the morning awkward for them. “Did you move me off the couch this morning?”

"No. I collected you last night and carried you to bed. The Master bed is yours now. However, I wasn’t sure how you would take it if I slept next to you, so I used the room across the hall. I am terribly sorry I forgot to collect your glasses as well. To be honest, they never crossed my mind," William replied as he rested his cheek against Alan’s head, holding him closely in his arms. "What a fool, how could I have forgotten something so important. Are you sure you are not harmed in any fashion?"

Alan sighed, “You were supposed to let me sleep on the couch. I moved down there for a reason.” He sighed and pulled back, “Really. I’m fine. I only fell a small ways.”

William looked him straight in the eyes and said, “I know you did, but I couldn’t bare it. After what I put you through, you deserved the bed. I probably should have slept on the couch, but Clover was sound asleep when I returned, so I left him there and took the other bed.”

He gingerly rubbed the brunet’s back and tenderly added, “I love you Alan, I do not wish to fight with you. I promise to try harder. You are my everything. I do not want to lose you or have discord between us.”

“Then you are going to let me protect you just as you protect me?” Alan questioned, “Like equals?”

"I shall try my best to allow that, forgive me if I mess up from time to time or forget myself," replied William, "I just want to keep you close and love you. I am weak at the thought of you in pain, whether that is physical or mental. I mean no harm Alan."

“I know.” Alan cupped the man’s cheek, “But as long as you realize it’s the same for me with you, then we should be fine.” He popped up onto his toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek, “…And if you help me find my glasses.”

William smiled, “The coffee table. Give me your hand and allow me to lead you to the living room.”

Alan nodded and slipped his hand in William’s, “Please lead the way. And then, I’ll make pancakes.”

"Pancakes? How about I make some sausage to go alongside those pancakes of yours? I believe I still have some maple syrup flavored ones," Will suggested as they slowly made their way to the living room, where he lead the brunet carefully between the couch and one of the chairs.

"Here Alan," William said as he handed the brunet his glasses, after picking them up from the beautifully polished table top.

“Thank you.” Alan delicately took them and slipped them on his face. The world around him finally becoming clear again. “Should we juice some oranges, or just have milk this morning?” Alan asked, turning back to look up at William.

"I think I would prefer just milk, though if you would like juice, you are more than welcome to use the juicer and fix whatever variety you like," Will smiled back at the brunet.

“I don’t really care either way.” Alan shrugged, suppressing a small yawn, “What time is it, anyway?” he asked.

"I believe it is around eleven thirty. I thought you might enjoy sleeping in. I did not have the heart to wake you so early on your day off," confessed Will, taking Alan’s hand. "If you would prefer something more like lunch, we can skip breakfast food."

“…No wonder it took me a moment to think of what day it is! I’m not used to sleeping in so long.” Alan exclaimed, “No, Breakfast is fine. I can’t stomach more Lunch-like foods so soon after waking up.”

"Breakfast it is then," William smiled. "Shall we?"

With a nod, Alan hooked his arm with William’s and walked with him to the kitchen, “Do you still want me to move in with you?”

Suddenly stopping and with a look of utter shock, William turned to Alan and replied, “Yes, of course I do. Why would I not, Alan? I love you. I said the bed was now yours and I meant it. This is your home now.”

Then a thought occurred to him. What if Alan didn’t want to move in after his behavior. Reaching out and touching the brunet’s cheek, William softly asked, “You do still want to make this your home, do you not?”

“I was just making sure before I go back to my apartment to start packing and get my lease situated.” Alan reassured his lover, patting his hand before he pulled away to get breakfast started.

William released a sigh of relief. He hadn’t even realized he had been holding his breath waiting for Alan’s answer, until he heard the words that he still was choosing to move in with him and then his body began to relax; and the oxygen he was withholding slowly left his lungs. With the air cleared, Will adjusted his glasses and followed his lover into the kitchen. He didn’t stop until he was behind the smaller reaper.

Carefully he slipped his arms around Alan’s shoulders and whispered, “That makes me happier than I believe you could realize.”

“I love you,” Alan said, turning his head to smile up at William as he began to mix the pancake batter, “Why wouldn’t I want to live with you? Besides, I think you sleep better when I’m here. You don’t have to worry about me having an attack in the middle of the night when I’m alone.”

"I don’t want you to have attacks even with me by your side, but yes I would rather be there for you, then you having to be alone," Will said as he stepped back from Alan and opened the fridge door. "I beg your pardon, Alan, but did you say you would like to have some sausage with the pancakes?"

“Please.” Alan nodded, turning back to his task and stepping aside to give William access to half of the stove.

There was a pitiful whine, then, down by William’s feet as Clover pawed at his leg, looking to the door to the gardens.

"Huh? Oh Clover, I nearly forgot. My apologies, boy. Come on," Will called as he left the stove and shuffled to the sliding glass door, sliding it open so the Border Collie could bound out to do his business.

The puppy did so, barking as he bounded off into the garden, soon disappearing and leaving William alone with Alan.

“Poor thing…maybe you should invest in a doggy door for him.” Alan teased.

"I am afraid my structured schedule has been compromised, by you," Will jabbed back tapping Alan on the nose as he came back to the stove. "You are a distraction."

“I can’t possibly see how little me could possibly be a distraction to anyone.” Alan teased, pouring the pancake mix into the hot pan he had ready.

William slipped several links from their package and placed them in the frying pan he was in charge of. He glanced at Alan and smirked, “You believe you are so innocent, but you are a major distraction. Though, I have to admit in a good way.”

“I’m small,” Alan shrugged, “I don’t get in the way, I work hard, and I don’t cause scenes just because I can.” He gave a little giggle, “Did you know that when I was a student, I was so invisible that the teachers would think I was absent when they took roll? I often had to go up to them after class to make sure they knew I had been there.”

"I can believe that, actually," Will replied, "Since the day you came to my department you have always been so reserved, unlike the cretins you have to work alongside."

“Then you agree I can’t possibly be a distraction!” Alan teased with a bright smile.

Will looked down at his partner and smirked, “In my office and around this house, you are most certainly a distraction. Though that is only to me or I should hope so. You are not distracting any other reapers are you?”

“Not that I know of…which means you must be mad – finding me to be a distraction of any sort.” Alan turned back to the pan and flipped the cakes over to cook the other side.

"I find you to be a pleasant distraction and I will not complain about losing sleep when you lie next to me every night from this point on. Also, at what time would you like to head over to your apartment?"

“Right after breakfast, maybe?” Alan suggested, “I have a lot to pack, after all. And I’ll have to make arrangements for my furniture.”

William flipped the sausages, allowing them to brown on the other side and then finally replied, “Perhaps while we are there we should stop by Miss Downs’ apartment and inform her that you will no longer be in the complex. I saw that she was not scheduled to work until after five this evening. I thought it might do her some good to work with the evening crew, especially since yourself and I were not in attendance today.”

Alan nodded, “It’d save her from finding an empty apartment should she come looking for me.” Alan agreed, taking the pancakes out of the pan and stacking them on a plate before pouring the next batch.

"I agree," William murmured as he turned the sausages once more, "You seem very fond of Miss Downs. I apologize if I have come off as contrite when it comes to her."

“She’s a friend.” Alan shrugged, “Of course I am fond of her. Just as I am fond of Eric, Grell, and Ronald. She’s a sweet girl, though incredibly clumsy at times.”

"Yes, she seems rather genuine. I believe her to have good work ethics. However, I too have noticed she seems to fumble from time to time. Is it possible she is related to Grell?" teased William.

“No clue.” He chuckled, flipping the cakes, “How many would you like?”

"Two, should be sufficient," answered Will as he began to place the sausages on their own platter. "There is some syrup in the cabinet over to your left."

Alan nodded and waited for a moment to finish the pancakes before flipping them onto a plate and getting out the syrup, powdered sugar, and butter.

"Toast or eggs?" William asked as he carried the platter to the small kitchen table. "I can fix one or the other, or both? That is if you would like either with your breakfast."

“Toast.” Alan said, setting the table and pouring them their drinks, “With jam.”

William nodded and proceeded to pull four slices of bread from the bread box and sit them inside the silver toaster oven on the counter. As the bread began to brown, he turned and watched Alan set everything out on the table and take his place in one of the chairs. Such simple movements and yet William seemed to find no breath. It had been vacuumed from his lungs by his captivating partner and lover. How had he gone so long without seeking a friend, without seeking a lover to stand by his side? Alan was everything he had ever desired in a possible partner, but he had chosen never to seek out that form of happiness. Now he found it in Alan and he was grateful for that simple suggestion to visit the opera with him.

With his attention so focused on the brunet, William jumped when the bread popped up. He tried to hide his surprise, but he was sure Alan heard his yelp and he began to blush. Quickly he retrieved the toasted bread from the toaster and walked over to the table and took a seat across from Alan.

"Your toast," he declared unfolding his napkin and spreading it over his lap.

“Distracted again?” Alan teased, taking the toast and spreading jam onto it before taking a bite. “Come eat breakfast before it gets cold.”

"Aren’t we demanding," William teased back as he collected his two pancakes from the stack and began to pour syrup atop them. "These look very edible."

“Only edible? I think I made very delectable looking pancakes!” Alan insisted.

"That too," Will grinned as he cut a bite out and ate it, "Very delectable. Now eat, we have much to do."

“I know.” Alan said, taking another bite and swallowing it before speaking further, “I will also need to install my emergency phone that connects me to the hospital here…where would be a good place for it to go? It needs to be in an easy to get to place in case I’m home alone during an attack.”

William looked around the kitchen and then over at Alan, “Well I suppose that depends on where you will most likely spend your private time. This is a large house. I wonder if perhaps we should install two. One for the down stairs and one for the up.”

"If that’s he case, we will need to call up the hospital to get a second one issued to me. My apartment is quite small and I never had a problem, before."

"I can understand that, but here if you are upstairs and the phone is down, you may not be able to reach it. I do not think it will be an issue to have another one sent to you," Will pointed out as he stuffed another morsel into his mouth.

“Yes, but it may take a week or so to get a second one.” Alan pointed out in turn, “It took as long for my current one to get delivered and installed.

Will took a sip of his milk before replying. “Then let us hope you have no attacks while you are alone here. Though I highly doubt you will be here alone as our schedules seem to run in accordance with one another.”

“And whose fault is that, I wonder?” Alan smirked at William, knowing the man had a strong voice with the scheduling department. “But still, even with matching work schedules, who’s to say I won’t find myself alone? You may go out to do some shopping while I stay home alone for a few hours.”

"That is why we will apply for a second and be careful until it arrives and is installed. Though might I make a suggestion? Perhaps if I am not home, you stay on the floor where the phone is located…just until the second is arrives. After that have full run of my home. Make it yours, Alan."

“Mm, and Clover will help me, I’m sure.” Alan smiled.

William chuckled, delighted by the brunet’s statement. “I do not doubt that. I believe he is in as much love with you as I am, though under a different sort of love, of course. You feed him scraps and therefore he now believes you are God.”

“I also let him lick my face when he greets me.” Alan laughed, finishing up his breakfast.

"As I have seen," Will chuckled again. "I am only sorry I did not allow him to socialize with others sooner. He seems to love being around you and I see him wanting to greet more reapers when we go on walks."

“That probably is my fault. When I walked him while you were in the hospital, I took him to the dog park where he could play with other dogs and dog lovers.”

"That would most likely be the cause then. You spoiled my dog," William scolded playfully. "Perhaps I should take you up stairs and discipline you for corrupting my pup."

Alan pouted, “He’s a puppy. They need to be spoiled! I did nothing wrong!”

"Didn’t you?" William raised a brow at Alan. "I would never spoil Clover. He will become… ah Hell! No you did nothing wrong, just spoil my dog and I cannot fault you for that."

The brunet grinned and stood up, taking his dishes to the sink. “I’ll go get dressed and fetch Clover’s leash. We should take him with us since we don’t have to work today. He’ll enjoy an adventure.”

"Again spoiling my dog," William teased as he stood and collected his dishes to carry over to the sink. "Yes I believe he would enjoy accompanying us to your place and we all three could use the exercise, the fresh air will do us all a bit of good."

“I can’t help it – I love dogs.” Alan smiled, kissing William’s cheek in passing as he left to go back up to change into some casual clothes he kept there.

Remembering the spoiled mutt, William walked over to the sliding glass door where Clover sat patiently waiting to be let back into the house. Cocking a brow at the dog, Will opened the door and let him in. As the excited Border Collie stepped into the kitchen he shook the cold from his fur and looked up at his Master. He was hoping for a scratch behind the ears and barked up at William to get his attention.

"Oh alright, boy," William huffed quietly as he stooped down to the dog’s level. He knew that bark and proceeded to give Clover precisely what he was begging for. "Spoiled, you are most spoiled."

Clover stretched as his back was scratched along the spine, tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth, content. He had his Master trained well.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	25. Chapter 25

Alan dug out his keys from his pocket, inserting it into the lock of his apartment and opening the door. Clover barked and bounded into the apartment, his leash slipping out of Alan’s hand so that the pup could explore, sniffing around before hopping up on the couch, tail wagging.

Alan chuckled, setting his keys in a bowl near the door, “Okay, I guess we should start with packing my smaller things into boxes and bags to take over to the house.”

"Would that mean we begin in the bedroom first, Alan?" Will asked a slight teasing tone to his voice.

“It would mean everything that isn’t furniture.” Alan said, missing the tease, “I think I have some boxes in the hall closet…” he muttered as he slipped over to said closet.

William followed, but didn’t stop when they reached their destination. Instead he grabbed the brunet by the waist and pulled him into his arms, dragging him towards Alan’s bedroom.

"The boxes can wait a few more minutes," he smiled, backing down the hallway.

“Wait—what are you doing?” Alan asked as he was being dragged along.

"I would like to see your bedroom one last time. Is that too great a request?" Will asked as they passed through the doorway into Alan’s bedroom, playfully, "We will not be able to spend anymore time in here after today. I thought you might like to lie upon your bed one last time, before it is stripped and turned over to a new owner."

Alan flushed and eyed his bed which was covered in stuffed animals he’d been gifted over the years. The bed had been untouched since he’d last made it.

“I…suppose it’ll have to be messed to be packed away…”

William eyed the critters and inwardly smiled. He had never been one to attach himself to things of that nature, but it was endearing the way Alan had and how wonderful he took care of each one.

"Let them watch," he said teasingly, trying to sound sensual as he began to lower the brunet onto the bed. "I’ve never made love surrounded by stuffed creatures before. I think the penguin is eyeing me suspiciously,"

“Oh, you must be careful. They all are my protectors.” Alan giggled, sliding his arms around William’s shoulders, “They aren’t fond of guests in my bed.”

William looked up and spied each one carefully, “I mean him no harm, do you all understand me? He is mine, now and I swear to defend him with my dying breath, however, right now…” Will looked down at Alan and whispered, “I plan to make love to him.”

“With so many eyes watching? You might as well take me in the middle of the offices!” Alan teased, pulling him down into a kiss.

Not able to help himself, William chuckled as his lips were captured. Slowly his sounds of amusement faded and were replaced by soft moans. His body stirring immediately to the feel of Alan pressed beneath him.

"Alan…" he whispered, "Are you sure?"

“Right now?” Alan whispered, “I don’t see why not…we have time and privacy…” The smaller brunet pressed light little kisses along William’s neck and collarbone as he pinched open the top buttons of the man’s shirt.

Letting out a contented sigh, William closed his eyes and lowered his mouth to Alan’s, kissing him tenderly. His lips began to part and his tongue pressed against Alan’s soft lips, caressing them, begging them to part. He slipped his left hand into the brunet’s, curling his fingers around his lover’s. His body stirring beneath his clothing, desiring to be one with the smaller reaper. He moaned softly as he felt Alan’s lips part beneath his own, his tongue set to exploring.

"Alan," he moaned.

“I’m sorry we didn’t finish what we started last night…” Alan added as he pushed Will’s shirt off his shoulders, “Let me make it up to you, now…”

Chuckling, William helped Alan get himself out of his casual vest. He pressed their mouths together once more before replying, “I cannot wait to be inside you, Alan.”

“Then why are you waiting?” Alan breathed, sliding his hands along the man’s chest, “We are free to enjoy each other.”

"Why am I waiting?" Will repeated as he gazed down at Alan, "I do not wish to get carried away and hurt you, but if you insist."

Will pushed himself up onto his knees and without hesitating tore Alan’s shirt open. Bare flesh lay before his eyes and it was with eager hands that he reached out and ran his fingertips over Alan’s warm flesh.

“Not waiting doesn’t mean rough.” Alan pointed out, “For example—“ He shoved William up and shifted his weight to the side to roll them over, settling William in the mound of stuffed animals as he settled on top of him. He worked open the man’s belt and pulled it free as he pressed kisses to his chest.

"Are you going to demonstrate how it is to be done then?" asked William, his brow raising in question. He lifted his eyes, only to discover the angry penguin staring back down at him.

"I think he should go," he smirked and picked the stuffed toy up by the scruff, only to toss it from the bed. "I never liked that one. He does not get to watch."

“Grell gave me that one…named him ‘Spears’.” Alan giggled.

"You lie!" William replied, eyeing the penguin where it sat on the floor, from the corner of his eye. Slowly he turned his head and looked back up at the brunet, "You are jesting, are you not? Grell would never give such a creature…would he?"

“Not at all.” Alan shook his head, “All these were given to me by friends and co workers. Though Grell is the only one to give them names. That one he named after you. This one,” he pointed to a lion, “Is named after Eric. That silly looking mouse over there is named after Ronald…”

William began to chuckle, “I am not sure I would like to know what Grell was doing in your bedroom naming stuffed animals. Though the mental image is priceless.”

“He never did. He named them when he gave them to me when visiting me in the hospital.” Alan chuckled, “He’d burst in with a new stuffed animal and announce its name like it was the star of a show.”

"I see. I much prefer knowing that it was there and not here," William replied, then cocked his brow again. "And what would you name me, if I were a stuffed animal, Alan?"

“I…don’t know.” Alan blinked, “What kind of question is that, anyway?”

"I do not have any idea myself, I just was curious, I suppose, of what you would have named me," William smiled as he reached up and grasped the back Alan’s head, gently urging him down, to kiss him.

Alan let himself be pulled down, “I guess it depends on wh—“ Alan’s words cut off, his eyes widening, pupils dilating, and his hand flying to his chest over his heart as a pained gasp escaped him. A familiar sharp sting shot through him, and he fell onto William’s chest, his body trembling. “W-Will—!”

"Alan? Alan, what is it? An attack?" William asked, caught off guard as he wrapped his arms around the trembling brunet. "Never mind, stay calm. I am going to roll over and lay you onto your bed, then call for help, Alright? Just hold on."

Alan coughed as he was rolled onto his back, squeezing his eyes shut as he struggled to respond, “J-just—phone—easy—ahh!” His skin paled and grew clammy. The thin greenish lines under his skin slowly growing longer and twisting towards his heart.

Relinquishing his hold on the brunet, William stood from the bed and dashed out of the bedroom and down the hall to Alan’s emergency phone. Picking up the receiver he only had to wait one ring before a nurse answered on the other end of the line.

"This is William T. Spears. I need medics immediately. Alan Humphries is having an attack."

“Sir, please calm down. Medic responders are already on their way. A portal should open up any moment in the sitting room.” The nurse said calmly. As she spoke, there was a flash as an emergency portal opened in the next room and a small team of medics hurried in, making a quick search of the small apartment, finding the bedroom before William could tell them.

"They’re here, good day," William replied. Not waiting for a response from the nurse, he hung the phone up and rushed back to the bedroom after the medics. He felt helpless and unsure of what to do. His instincts were to take his lover’s hand, but he would only be in the way. Logic dictated it was better to stay back and out of the way. Still, he inquired out of fear that he had not acted correctly, "Was I right in lying him on his back or should I have kept him up right? He will be alright, will he not?"

“His position doesn’t matter much.” Said one of the medics, “We have come in to find him in many different positions, but usually curled up, clutching his chest.”

“We’ll do what we can for him.” said another. They knew that if it was his final attack, there wasn’t much they could do, so he couldn’t promise that Alan would be fine. They could only hope that this wasn’t a fatal attack and help him through it. “You may come with us back to the hospital.”

The medics lifted Alan onto a stretcher and hurried him back to where the portal stood open.

"Yes of course," William replied hurrying after them, forgetting his shirt was unbuttoned and flailing about his body until he grew annoyed and simply let it slip off his arms on the way to the portal. He was far too concerned over Alan’s well being to worry about his own state of dress.

The portal began to close directly behind William as he stepped through and into the emergency room of the Grim Reaper hospital. Alan, before him, was already being transferred from the gurney to an actual hospital bed and was surrounded by nurses and doctors as they began to work on him. The sounds of beeps began to fill the air as a heart monitor was turned on and attached to him. Another nurse began to hook an I.V. to his arm, drops of saline, dripping into the skinny tube, now attached to his slim arm.

William stood near the doorway watching eagerly and frightfully as his lover continued to cringe in pain. He was unable to leave and unable to comfort. His gut began to twist into knots. Alan didn’t deserve this. If only he could, William would take the pain away from him and burden it himself. He would give anything so that the brunet could live once more without the fear of attacks and the pain they caused. He loved Alan that much. He would risk death to save the man he loved.

Finally, Alan’s attack slowed and the brunet’s gasps of pain lessoned to ragged breathing as his body finally relaxed, exhausted. It had been a longer attack, spanning over a half hour. It wasn’t the worst attack he’d had, but it hadn’t been easy on his doctor and team of nurses.

“He’s out of danger now.” The doctor reassured William as he removed his latex gloves and tossed them in the bin in Alan’s usual hospital room, “We want to keep him for the rest of the day and over night at least. Perhaps longer as it was such a large attack. We want to make sure his heart strengthens back up properly before we let him go back home.”

"I understand," William replied, then looked over at the brunet. "This was a long one? I mean they normally do not last so long, am I correct? Should I be concerned about his life and how much longer he has to live?"

Slowly he turned his head and looked back at the doctor, “He is running out of time isn’t he?”

“It’s hard to tell based on the severity of the attacks.” The Doctor sighed, glancing over at Alan, “Attacks are inconsistent. Sometimes they are very minor and are well over before he can contact us; lasting only seconds. Other times we have seen them last up to over an hour. And length of time doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a small attack or a severe attack. This one was of medium length but particularly nasty. The Thorns undoubtedly have grown quite a bit.”

He shook his head, “To tell you the truth we have no idea how close he is to his end. We have no way of knowing. Any attack could be his last, and it has been that way since we discovered his condition. Some reapers suffer the Thorns of Death for only days after their first attack before they are taken. Others have been known to suffer them for hundreds of years. Each day he wakes up is a gift as far as we are concerned—and he knows very well that he could die any day. But that he’s survived so many that could have been his last. – So, to put it bluntly, Mister Spears, he is out of time. He simply has the luck to stay with us for so long since he first contracted Thorns.”

"You have no way of telling?" asked William as he dared to glance at Alan. One nurse was still attending him, trying to make him more comfortable. "I thought, perhaps…of course you would not. There is not much known about Thorns."

“No two cases of Thorns have been the same.” The doctor sighed, “We can only know the common factors to each one. The marks under the skin is the first. Always green and vine-like. And they always start at the wrists and ankles and grow during each attack inward towards the heart. We also know that the pain the victims feel are always centered in their heart and seem to spread out through their veins. Which suggests it’s a blood condition…but blood tests always come back clean. We don’t know what causes it, just that it exists. And in some victims attacks are triggered by things such as stress, shock, or anxiety. But in others it’s completely random. But a few, like Mister Humphries, it can be caused by both. Though most of his are random. We have a team of experts looking into and studying Thorns. Trying to learn more and hopefully, find a cure. But it’s a long way off.”

"What remedies seem to offer the most comfort? I very much need to know, Mister Humphries will be moving in with me as soon as he is released. I also need to know where I can order a second, possibly several additional emergency phones to install throughout my home?" William inquired, turning back to the doctor.

“Well, you would have to talk to our emergency desk about getting more phones, and you’ll have to sign a form that will allow us to be able to create portals directly into your home when we are called, and allow our emergency responders to take a tour and become familiar with the layout so that we may find Mister Humphries quickly. As for remedies…” The doctor glanced over at Alan again, “He seems to enjoy visits from those close to him. It lifts his spirits, at least.”

"I see," William replied, his right eye twitching slightly. "I would have no issue for a tour of my home and I will be sure to stop by there on my way out. I will do anything for Mister Humphries…I mean anything that will make him either comfortable or provide him quick response. For now, however, may I stay with him?"

“As long as you keep things calm when he awakens. I’d rather not risk a second wind attack right away.” He eyed William’s state of undress. “…Would you like a nurse to bring you a shirt to wear?”

William looked down at his bared chest and turned bright red. Slowly he raised his head and looked at the Doctor. He swallowed hard and adjusted his glasses, “Yes, please. It was an emergency. I had no time to dress properly. Do forgive my lack of…yes, please have a nurse do as you suggested.”

The man nodded and stepped closer, lowering his voice, “It really is not my place to say, sir, but…based on the knowledge that he will be moving in with you, and how both of you seem to have been…interrupted…” he cleared his throat, “I can assume your personal relationship. I won’t tell you not to take part in personal time together, however, I would suggest that you keep robes or something easy and quick to put on—just in case this happens again at such an inopportune time for you two.”

"Umm…y-yes of course," William sputtered as he turned even a brighter shade of red. He had never been so embarrassed in all his existence and at this very moment he wanted to hide beneath a rock and never come out. Though he did appreciate the Doctor speaking privately and quietly to him.

"I will remember to keep something handy in the future," he whispered.

The doctor nodded and tucked his clipboard under his arm before walking out of the warm, home-like hospital room.

After seeing the Doctor leave, William turned his attention back to the brunet and walked over to his bedside. He smiled at the nurse as she finished with what she was doing and took a seat in the chair next to Alan’s bed. He reached out and very carefully took the brunet’s hand into his own, his thumb caressing the back of his hand.

Alan lay pale against his pillows, his face peaceful and his hospital gown-clad chest raising and falling as if he had simply drifted off to sleep. Such a huge contrast from when he had been curled up in pain, gasping for help as he tried letting William know what to do for him.

"Alan," William whispered, "I am here. I will not leave your side until you wake up and give me leave."

He could not leave, not yet at least. He needed to see those eyes of Alan’s looking back at him before he could sigh in relief. Before he could return to Alan’s apartment and return home with Clover. Before he could surprise the brunet by having his stuff moved to his new home. No, William would remain till he knew it was safe to leave and that Alan knew he was not alone.

* * *

 

A full hour ticked by slowly before Alan showed signs of waking up. Five minutes after that, his eyes finally fluttered open, squinting against the bright florescent lights. Groaning, he turned his head and closed his eyes as he sucked in a deep breath.

Sitting bent over the side of Alan’s hospital bed, William’s head rose. He had been napping for nearly a half hour’s time when he heart the soft groan from Alan and looked up.

"Alan?" he called quietly, taking the brunet’s hand into his own.

“…How bad was it?” Alan moaned, feeling weak and warn out.

William kissed the back of his knuckles and then replied with a frown, “The Doctor says it was a grade Medium-severe attack, but you should be fine in a couple of days. You just need to take it easy and rest.”

Alan sighed and opened his eyes, “I’m sorry…I knew it had been a while since my last one, but I didn’t expect it to happen like that…”

"It is not your fault, Alan. There was no way for you to have known when the next one would hit. Please do not apologize. I am just glad that you are alright and looking at me right now," William smiled, "How do you feel?"

“Weak…” Alan muttered, closing his eyes, “…Weaker than I should.” He took a deep breath and pushed himself up to prop back against the pillows.

William held his breath watching Alan move. He hated seeing him struggling and tired.

"Here, let me help you," he offered standing. Carefully he helped Alan lean forward and fluffed his pillow and then gently lay him back against them. "Is that much better and would you care for a sip of water?"

“Water would be nice, thank you.” He reached over and grabbed William’s sleeve before he could turn away, “Thank you… for staying with me.”

"Of course," Will smiled as he took up the pitcher next to Alan’s bed and poured him a glass.

"Slow sips," he instructed as he brought the glass to Alan’s lips and helped elevate his head so he would not choke. "This should taste welcoming."

Alan allowed his boyfriend to help him take a sip and he pulled away to swallow. “A kiss would taste welcoming too.” He hinted with a small smile.

"Would it now?" Will smirked teasingly. "I suppose that could be accommodated for the patient."

William turned briefly away and sat the glass down before lowering his head and capturing Alan’s lips. Tenderly he pressed their mouths together in a comforting and loved-filled kiss, his hand resting against Alan’s warm cheek.

"I love you," he murmured, breaking the kiss as he gazed into Alan’s smiling eyes. Gently he massaged the crown of his head and whispered, "Was that to your liking?"

“Mm, I feel better already.” He smiled, kissing his lips once more.

"Good," William replied as he took Alan’s lips once more.

* * *

  **To be continued…**


	26. Chapter 26

Grell sat in the corner of Eric’s office, legs crossed in front of him as he concentrated on painting his nails with a fresh coat of blood red polish. He’d been doing better bit by bit as the days passed with Eric by his side, and he’d become much less jumpy.

Finishing with painting his right hand, he held it up and blew gently on his fingertips to help them dry.

"Grell, love, I need ta step out fer a minute. I am jus’ runnin’ down ta Spears’ office ta get a couple of reports. I promise ya, I’ll be back befer ya know it," Eric explained as he stood from his chair.

Calmly and quietly he walked around the cherry wood desk and approached the redhead. With strong gentle fingers, he placed them beneath Grell’s chin and urged him to look up at him. The right corner of Eric’s lip rose into cocked smile.

"Can I bring ya anything back from the break room, while I am out? Some water or a piece of fruit, anythin’?" he asked.

“An apple. A red one. Not the green ones in that bowl next to the door!” Grell said with a smile—something that had finally started showing on his face again. He’d also started wearing makeup again, covering the scars around his mouth.

Alrigh’, a red delicious apple,” Eric repeated as he bent down and kissed Grell on the lips, gently. “Sit tigh’.” he winked as he straightened up and strode over to the door; pausing just before opening it and looked over his shoulder, “Oh, an’ Grell…ya look beautiful taday. Jus’ wanted ya ta know tha’.”

The redhead flushed, “Flatterer.” He accused him as he walked out of the door.

Sighing, Grell fell back across the couch, holding his hand up as he watched his nails dry. “Things get better.” He muttered, “Things return to normal. I can, too.”

* * *

 

Lily grinned widely as she watched the blond exit his office and head down the corridor. She had been wondering when an opportunity would present itself to her. For several weeks now, since giving Grell the necklace with the conjuring stone, she had been biding her time. The damned redhead was never alone any longer and she had been forced to wait to unleash her pets upon him. Now he was alone and was just on the other side of the door that stood across from her cubicle. Gazing around the office she noted that everyone was engaged in their own affairs. A perfect time, indeed. Not a single reaper would notice her absence and so she stood and like a wraith she glided down the hall and out of sight.

With a giggle to himself, Grell rolled to his feet, his red skirt fluttering down around his legs to his calves before he strolled over to Eric’s desk and slipped into his chair, picking up his pen and looking down at the paperwork spread over the desktop. Maybe he could help just a little now that his nails were dry…

The smallest fraction of a breeze tickled the back of Grell’s neck, like phantom fingers it slithered between his shortened red locks. The light streaming in from the afternoon sun, dimmed and the shadows began to stretch out across the room. A faint dripping sound began to emanate from Eric’s private bathroom and the temperature in the room grew chilly, spreading gooseflesh across Grell’s exposed skin.

Grell shivered, the pen dropping from his fingers and splattering ink on a page of Eric’s paperwork. His eyes were wide and he slid his hands up over his ears, “No—no, it’s all in my head! It’s all in my head!” he gasped, trying to keep himself calm. He’d been doing so well…so why were the shadows moving again?  _Why_?!

Through the pipes of the sink, another shadow began to seep out alongside the dripping water; a teasing giggle emerging from it’s slick blackness. Slinking across the floor it moved, until it found Grell’s feet. Forming the shape of a hand it reached up and wrapped it’s dark fingers around the redhead’s ankle and whispered, “Grell.”

“It’s just in my head, it’s just in my head, it’s just in my…” Upon feeling something grab his ankle, Grell gave in, letting out a blood curdling scream, the desk chair toppling over as he flung himself back in it in attempt to get away.

“No—NO! LET GO OF ME!!” He cried out, feeling the hand slide further up his leg, and then another grab his arms, “ _NO!!!_ ”

"Hush Grell, I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to play with you. Like I did that night when the world went black," the shadow softly spoke as it stretched out alongside the redhead’s body. The form of head began to develop and rise; its lips full and it seemed to hover just high enough to look down into Grell’s eyes. "Do you remember Grell, the feel of my black hands as they passed over your soft, delicate lips?"

“No—no!” Grell snapped his eyes closed against the shadow, his body trembling. “You’re not real—you can’t be here!”

Despite his words, Grell remembered. He remembered all too well how he’d been grabbed so suddenly and pulled away. His cries and calls for William’s help silenced before he could make them by the feel of lips. Lips that had turned from a kiss to needles and thread and then…darkness. He couldn’t remember anything more.

"Oh but I am very real Grell. Would you like me to show you how real I am? I can make your lips bleed once more if you like or I can make other parts bleed first," the shadow taunted as its hand began to slide further up the redhead’s leg.

Another shadow began to moan and groan as it stretched and took form, but its intention was not to approach the redhead, but to blot out the remaining sunlight. The office began to grown dimmer and dimmer, till just the faintest of light crept in through crevasses of the bathroom window.

"Open your eyes Grell or I will force them open," the shadow hovering above him ordered darkly as a creepy smile developed across its blank face.

“ _ERIC!!! ERIC HELP!!_ ” Grell screamed out, refusing to open his eyes. Maybe…maybe he could cut it?” He clenched his fist and tried to summon his scythe.

Nothing happened. No familiar handle of his beloved and trusted chainsaw.

No…

"Do you think your lover will be able to hear you, Grell? Oh honestly, how pathetic. Can’t even summon your scythe. Would you like to play with mine?" Again the shadow taunted Grell by summoning a reaper’s scythe and running its blade lightly across his cheek. "You needn’t scream so much, reaper. No one will hear you. No one will come. No one cares enough about you to save you."

“You’re wrong—you’re wrong!” He turned his head away, trying to escape the feel of a blade. He couldn’t move his arms or legs. He couldn’t see…he could only scream as he felt the shadow.

The shadow’s touch was strange. Like a solid, yet like a gas or liquid. It was unlike anything Grell had ever experienced—other than the first attack.

“Stop it…”

The shadow smirked as it watched the redhead plead. “Perhaps I should cut that pretty little tongue of yours first. I wonder how long can a reaper live as it is being bled out? I now know how long it takes for an Angel and humans, they last not long at all, but reapers are something I have never tried before.”

Slowly the shadow pressed the tip of the scythe blade into Grell’s neck, near the main artery. “Bleed for me Grell.”

“Don’t!” Grell gasped, his voice shaky and rough.

"But Grell, I thought you loved red and blood. Wasn’t it you, who went on a killing spree not so long ago?"

Lily had done her research, she read the redhead’s file as she had done with all of the reapers involved with her revenge. Now, in shadow form she was using that knowledge to her advantage.

"Come on Grell, I want to watch you bleed," the shadow spoke with a wine as it pressed the tip of the scythe deeper into Grell’s pale flesh.

The redhead gasped, his breath quivering, “I’m not crazy enough—to enjoy being killed like th-that!”

The shadow began to laugh as it sliced deeper into Grell’s throat, “I don’t plan to kill you, Grell. Where would the fun be in that? No, I plan to keep you alive for as long as possible.”

“Then get off.” Grell hissed, “Give me back the light!”

"Tsk, tsk, Grell. I won’t kill you before I make you watch what I am going to do to your boyfriend," the shadow scolded, wagging the scythe over Grell’s face, dripping his own blood onto his alabaster skin and red painted lips. "I will return the lights when I am ready to reveal what I have done to him. Would you like to know what I plan to with him?"

Grell grew paler, “No…Stay away from him! ERIC!” he screamed out, “ERIC! ERIIC!!”

There was a bang of the door being kicked open and instantly the darkness and shadows were gone.

"Grell?!" Eric called out as he burst through the door, having heard the redhead’s screams in the hallway.

The apple in his hand fell with a hard thud and rolled back away from him as he rushed forward and around his desk at the sound of a muffled cry. He dropped to his knees when he found Grell laying on his back, partly in the over turned chair. His skirt was hiked up mid thigh, one shoe missing from his feet and bruises on his wrists and arms. Blood trickled out of a small, deep gash on his neck as well as blood splatter, painted across his face. Eric tried to make sense of everything as he took in the sight of his new lover. He started to reach for Grell when he saw a beam of sunlight reflecting off of an object. Next to Grell lay a scythe and Eric puzzled over why it was there, the tip was brimming with red and he knew instantly, it was Grell’s blood.

Gently he touched Grell’s cheek and as calmly as he could he asked, “Grell, love, wha’ in the world happened in here?”

“Out!” Grell gasped, flailing away from the touch, “It’s after you, too! The shadow’s after you!”

"Grell!" Eric hollered, surprised, "Shh… babe, it’s jus’ me. There are no shadows in here. I think ya hit yer head or somethin’, but I do no’ understand why ya have a scythe lyin’ next ta ya. Did ya cut yerself with it, Grell?"

He ached to wrap his arms around Grell, but the redhead was to frightened and right now, he needed Grell to calm down and explain just what happened.

“The shadows!” Grell shook his head, shakily pushing himself up and looking wide-eyed around the suddenly bright office, “It had me again—it was here!”

Eric scooted a tad closer and stuck his hand out, “Grell, tha’ is impossible. Demons can’ penetrate our realm, ya know tha’. Ya must’ve hit yer head, dreamt the whole thing. I promise ya there is no shadows or demons in my office.”

He glanced at the scythe and then back at Grell and nodding towards the reaper weapon, he asked, “Can ya explain tha’, Grell? Wha’ is tha’ doin’ here?”

“The shadows  _were_  here!” Grell insisted, “They had the scythe! I—I couldn’t move! I—“ He blinked at Eric, “…You believe me…don’t you?”

"Grell, I don’ know wha’ I believe, but I do know I need ta get tha’ wound of yers treated. Yer bleedin’ pretty bad there, love. Will ya give me yer hand, Grell. Let me help ya get up an’ sit ya back down on the couch," Eric again reached for the redhead, waving his hand in encouragement.

“You have to believe me!” Grell shook his head, gripping Eric’s sleeves, “You have to! We aren’t safe here!”

"Shh…" Eric cooed as he slowly slipped his arms around Grell’s waist, pulling the redhead to him. "Yer safe, Grell. I won’ let no shadows get ya. I promised ya tha’ an’ I meant it. There is no way any could get in here. Ya know tha’ Dispatch has protection an’ alarms as a safety precaution. There is no way fer a demon ta get in here. Ya must’ve blacked out or somethin’. I ain’t sayin’ yer lyin’ or anythin’, but there has ta be an explanation fer ya bein’ on the floor an’ tha’ bloodied scythe, lyin’ there."

“…It was the shadows…” Grell whispered, his heart sinking, “…You don’t believe me…but it was real! It was here and it said it’d go after you!”

Eric closed his eyes and pressed Grell’s head to his shoulder. Soothingly he began to stroke the back of his head and whispered in reply, “Is no’ tha’ I don’ believe ya, Grell. I jus’ canna see how wha’ yer sayin’ is possible. Now Grell, hold tigh’. I am gonna carry ya over ta the couch an’ see ta yer wound, babe.”

“It’s not important!” Grell insisted, “We need a safe place! We have to go!”

"I am not takin’ ya anywhere till I have a look at tha’ wound of yers an’….never mind abou’ the other questions. I want ta tend your neck; the rest can wait fer later. Once I get the bleedin’ stopped, I’ll take ya home, Grell. Promise"

Not waiting any longer, Eric stood, the redhead in his arms. He would right the chair and collect the scythe later. Right now, Grell was the most important thing in the room to see to. If the scythe wound was not cleaned and dealt with properly, Grell’s wound could become infected. Scythe wounds were never something a reaper should waste time over. It was nearly the only thing lethal enough to kill a reaper and Eric had laid witness to that too many times over the years. He was not about to loose his lover over something so easily treated.

"There now, Grell. Let me have a look at ya?" Eric said as he sat the redhead down carefully. "Turn ya head, babe. I need the light."

“It took the light! Snuffed it out!” Grell said, shaking his head, “We need to get away! It’ll hurt you like it did Will and Ronnie! It’ll hurt you, Eric!” He leaned forward, grabbing onto the Scotsman.

"Grell!" Eric breathed, cupping the redhead’s face. His eyes darted back and forth, searching Grell’s eyes. There was genuine terror brewing in them and Eric wished he could swat the fear away, but how?

"Grell love, no one is gonna take me away from ya. No one is gonna hurt me. I am not gonna let the happen, ya hear me. I love ya an’ I’ll fight ta protect ya. I’m sorry I left ya here alone."

“You can’t promise that! No one is safe from it! No one! It wants to hurt us and it won’t stop!”

"Stay here," ordered the blond, "I’ll be righ’ back."

Eric didn’t wait to let Grell argue, he just stood and raced to the privy to retrieve the first aid kit. He paused for a moment and looked into the mirror. A sigh spilled from his lungs and he closed his eyes. He would not abandon Grell, he loved him, but he was at a loss. They had come so far, since moving him from the hospital. So what had happened today?

Wasting no more time to ponder on his thoughts, he turned from the mirror and exited the bathroom.

"I have the…wha’ the Hell?" he cursed, coming to halt as he was passing the fallen chair. "Grell did ya pick up tha’ scythe after I told ya to stay there?"

“Not my scythe.” Grell shook his head, “It’s the Shadow’s. I told you that!”

"Shadows don’ have scythes, Grell an’ I know it wasna yers. However tha’ scythe is no longer there. So did ya move it?" Eric replied as he continued back to Grell and crouched down in front of him. "Don’ lie ta me Grell, did ya touch the scythe, after I told ya ta stay here?"

“I didn’t. Why won’t you believe me?!” Grell stressed, “We only call it a demon because Will’s convinced it is! What if it’s not? What if it’s one of us? Or used to be?!”

"Well tha’ would explain how it could get by security. An’ Grell it’s not tha’ I don’ believe ya, love. Jus’ none of this makes any sense. I am jus’ tryin’ ta wrap my head around things. Do ya understand?" Eric asked as he opened the kit and began searching for some antiseptic.

“I’m not lying! It’s all the truth!” Grell paused, then pushed himself up and ran to the window, flinging it open and looking out at the mid-day sun, “It even blocked out the sun…”

"Grell!" Eric shouted and ran after him. He stopped just behind him and reached out to touch his shoulder. "Grell, look at me."

The redhead didn’t respond, continuing to look up at the sky—desperate to stay within its light. He sighed and sat on the sill. “…Is any place really safe?”

Cupping the redhead’s chin, Eric turned his face up to him and softly spoke.

"Grell, I never called ya a liar. I jus’ said I was havin’ trouble wrappin’ my head around things. Now, let me treat this," he pointed to the wound, "so we can go home an’ ya can get some rest. I wanna get ta the bottom of this an’ figure out wha’ I need ta do ta keep ya safe, alrigh’?"

“I’m fine…don’t worry about me…” Grell said, suddenly feeling unnaturally calm as he stared up at the sky. His ears starting to ring and his vision becoming spotty, “…I’m fine…” His eyes drifted closed and his body tipped, tumbling out the window.

Without thinking, Eric summoned his scythe and opened a portal; he stepped through it and emerged onto the pavement just as Grell was about to hit the sidewalk below. He tumbled backwards and onto the ground with the redhead in hands, the impact from Grell’s body slamming into him, knocking his feet out from under him. As the air refilled his lungs, he turned over laying Grell down upon the soft, cool grass and leaned over him, lightly tapping his cheeks.

"Grell, baby, wake up," he panted, his glasses sitting a skewed on his nose. "Grell, come on, love, ya got ta open yer eyes fer me."

Grell’s head turned to the side, a weak groan escaping his lips, and the bleeding on his neck increasing its flow from the strained stretch of his cut flesh.

"Ah shite," Eric cursed, "Grell don’ move, yer bleedin’ real bad. Jus’ hang on love. I gotta get ya over ta the infirmary."

Carefully Eric scooped Grell into his arms and stood up. Trying not to jostle the bleeding redhead, he used his scythe to open a new portal. This time stepping out in the emergency room check in, at the Grim Reaper Dispatch Hospital. He was nearly running down the hall when a nurse halted him and helped him get the redhead into a hospital bed; and into an emergency room where a doctor could look at the redhead.

Refusing to let go, Eric held tightly to Grell’s hand the entire time. Nurses ran this way and that all around them, sticking IVs and other contraptions into Grell’s arms and hands. The sounds of beeps began to emanate from a heart monitor and Eric looked up as a doctor finally entered the room.

“What happened to bring him back?” The doctor frowned, pulling on a pair of latex gloves and walking over to Grell’s side to examine him.

Eric looked back down at Grell and replied, “I’m not quite sure. I jus’ know I found her in an over turned chair, on her back. There was a scythe near her an’ she was bleedin’ from her neck. Said she was attacked an’ went ta the window. I seen her eyes roll ta the back of her head an’ then she jus’ fell. I caught her though, bu’ she tore the wound wider. Pretty sure tha’ be cut by the scythe I found.”

With his free hand, Eric began to scratch his chin and cocked a brow as he looked back up at the doctor, “Though strange thing, the scythe seemed ta disappear out of nowhere.”

There is no medical conditions that cause disappearing scythes, but the cut I can see to.” He sat on his wheel stool and slid over to get a tray of cleaning supplies and soul thread for stitching Grell back up, “Anything else you can tell me?” he asked as he rolled back over to the bed and adjusted his glasses on his nose before moving to clean the wound.

"Nah Doc, Grell couldn’t see her assailant. I think they, whomever they were, might’ve knocked her out. She was a bit dazed when I found her, like she had been hit over the head. Possibly the floor, as I said she was on her back," explained Eric, leaving out bits and pieces. He wasn’t sure what was going on or what to think, but he also believed Grell was not crazy and didn’t want to implicate him.

The doctor nodded and continued his work cleaning and dressing the wound. Then he set to examining the rest of Grell for any indications of why he seemed to have blacked out. First, he checked his head, searching for a bump. Head trauma would account for being dazed and loss of consciousness after standing up too quickly. But he found none.

He did, however, spot a blister bubbling up on Grell’s ankle which was missing a shoe. He moved down to get a closer look, “…Any idea why there would be the shape of a hand burned into his skin?” he asked.

Eric looked down at Grell’s ankle, puzzled. There had been a bruise on each of his wrists, but Eric hadn’t paid any attention to Grell’s ankles.

"Ah, Doc are ya sayin’ somethin’, like perhaps a demon, might’ve touched Grell?"

“Looks that way. Though, this is minor. If it was a demon, I’d say it was trying to keep its powers restrained, but let it slip slightly. The burn could be much worse otherwise… Hand me that burn cream from the table behind you, please?” He asked, leaning over to get some bandages to wrap his ankle.

"Doc, this is Dispatch we’re talkin’ ‘bout. Demons can’ jus’ waltz in there." Eric pointed out, shrugging as he reached for the cream and then handed it over to the doctor. "If tha’ was a demon tha’ attacked her, how in the bloody Hell did it get inside Dispatch?"

“Not my division.” The man reminded him, “I only can diagnose and treat illnesses and physical injuries that are brought in to me.” he opened the cream and spread it over the burn before wrapping Grell’s ankle, “I’ll need to give him an injection on the off chance he was tainted. Best to eliminate it before it does harm and starts to change him. Shouldn’t need a blood test, though.”

Eric nodded and looked back down at Grell, he took the redhead’s hand back into his own and kissed his knuckles. “Aye, I agree. Ya do whatever necessary ta keep her alive an’ well. I ain’t leavin’ her side either, so don’ ya be thinkin’ of kickin’ me out of here this time.”

“This time Mister Sutcliff isn’t under quarantine.” The doctor pointed out, “His levels of demonic taint last time made it unavoidable until we got it down and we knew he was strong enough for visitors.”

"Miss Sutcliff, Doc," Eric corrected, "Ya know she prefers tha’ an’ yeah, I understand, last time she was under a greater threat. I jus’ wanted ya ta know, I would risk gettin’ infected ta stay by her side."

“That is not a smart thing for you to do, Mister Slingby.” The doctor stood up and readied a sterol needle with the detoxin; tipping the bottle up-side-down to fill the needle before moving to Grell’s arm and sticking it into the veins on the underside of his arm. “He’ll need rest for the rest of the day. You may take him home if you wish.”

"Are ya sure, she’ll be okay ta take home. I don’ want ta do nothin’ wrong. Though I know Grell, she’d rather be at home, than here," Eric nodded to the knocked out redhead.

Eric ran his fingers through his hair like a comb, unsure of how to ask his next question.

"Hey…doc, I was wonderin’…ya see I really like Grell, here an’ I was wonderin’…well I know she has been through a lot as of late, but do ya think she’ll make a full recovery, one day?"

“Grell will be fine. Just stay close, just in case. He may wake up spooked. As for a recovery…physically, yes. Mentally, however…” The doctor sighed, “His therapist would know better than I. But in my experience…unlikely. He wasn’t the most sane of reapers to begin with, after all. But don’t quote me on it.”

“I won’,” Eric mumbled to himself and then cleared his throat, “Alrigh’, how long before we can leave? I’d like ta get her back before she wakes. I think bein’ in her own bed when she wakes, will be less stressful ta her.”

“Now if you wish it. Just be careful of those stitches.”

Eric looked down at Grell and his eyes went straight to the wound on his neck. “Aye doc, I’ll be extra careful, don’ wanna send her righ’ back ta ya,” he turned his head smiled at the doctor, “No offense, but I’d rather her feelin’ safe, an’ here she don’.”

“No offence, but he’s not our ideal patient, either.” The man shrugged, leaving the room as he jotted something down on his clipboard.

Huffing, Eric ignored the doctor’s statement and sat down in the chair by Grell’s bed. Carefully he took his hand and held it tightly while his other hand brushed back the redhead’d bangs.

"Grell, love, I don’ wan’ ta wake ya, but I wan’ ya ta know; as soon as those nurses get back in here an’ unhook ya from all these tubes, I’m gonna take ya home an’ take care of ya. Anythin’ ya wan’, I’ll get ya."

Tenderly he leaned forward and kissed Grell on the forehead. He didn’t know if Grell could hear him or not, but he still felt he had to say everything out loud, just in case.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	27. Chapter 27

Alan ended up being kept in the hospital for three days after his initial attack, after which he suffered a series of smaller ones while under observation. But it wasn’t anything new to the sickly brunet.

William had packed Alan’s things for him and had it all moved into his house. Emergency phones had also been set up around the home, though William spent his nights lonely, already too used to sharing his bed. During the day, he also had to return to work, and he could only visit Alan in the evenings.

Alan slept through most of his days, wanting to be awake when someone visited him. And on his final day, he lay in his hospital bed, contently dreaming and unaware of the shadow that slipped in through his open window, darkening the entire room and settling over his bed.

At once, the brunet let out a whimper as his dreams turned on him.

* * *

 

_"Alan?!" William called out, "What are you doing here? You were suppose to be with Eric and Ronald, not here with Grell and myself. Who sent you here?"_

_William swayed, not losing his balance as the boat he was currently stood on, rocked back and forth. A cold wind whipped through his short wavy hair while a bolt of lightning streaked across the foreboding, sky above him. The rain stung as it struck his emotionless face and his green eyes flickered behind his glasses. His vision was narrowed on the small brunet who stood dumbfounded and confused before him._

_"I inquired as to why you are here, Alan. This is not your reap. You were assigned to be with Eric and Ronald on their case. Safe away from this doomed voyage," Will spoke once more his voice growing more annoyed with each syllable that passed over his thin lips._

_“I…I don’t know…” Alan looked around, the scene seeming hazy around the edges of his vision. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes in attempt to clear them and perhaps remember why he was there. Had he been delivering an important message that the company pigeons couldn’t carry in the nasty weather? If so, he couldn't remember it so he set to searching his pockets._

_"Mister Humphries, do not doddle, what is it that you came here for? I do not want you here. It is not safe," Will hollered over the sound of waves crashing against the tittering boat. "If you have an attack, there is nothing we can do for you here."_

_William sighed and closed his eyes, he rubbed his temples and then adjusted his glasses before returning his narrowed glare back onto the brunet. "Alan, do you not hear me?"_

_Alan’s pockets were empty, and he looked wide-eyed back up at his boyfriend, taking a step closer, “I don’t know why…William…” He took another step as the sea crashed another wave into the ship and he was lurched forward. He cried out in surprise as he hit the deck and slid across to William’s feet._

_"Damn it, Alan! I said to leave, before you cannot. This is no place for a sickly reaper as yourself," William cursed as he knelt down and stared his lover in the eyes. "This is no good, no good at all. She'll be here and she will get you. The whole ship has been taken by her."_

_Alan blinked up at him, a frown tugging his lips, “I’m perfectly capable of working and defending myself, William—you know that…and…who’s taken the ship?”_

_"The Devil." William replied as reached out and offered his hand to his lover. "Leave Alan, before she gets you as well. Sutcliff and myself, we can deal with her."_

_“…I can help! I—I must be here for a reason.” Alan said, taking William’s hand, “It wouldn't be right to leave you two, now…”_

_William sighed as he straightened up and turned to head back down the main deck._

_"Fine, follow me, but stay close at hand. I must find Sutcliff. He has bounded off after her. There are too many souls to reap and we cannot fall behind. Do you understand me Alan? Do not wander from my side or the Devil will get you by your nose hair," he instructed as he looked back over his shoulder at the brunet._

_“You are worrying too much. I’ll be fine.” Alan insisted as he followed William’s lead._

_"Am I?" retorted William as another wave hit the ship, sending a wave of water over the top of them._

_The force of the wave slammed him into the side of the boat, the wind knocked out of him. Alan landed hard into the wall next to him, his glasses sitting askew upon his nose. Raising a brow at the brunet, William reached over and righted his glasses._

_"I hate this storm and do be careful with those. I do not need to worry about you being blind as well," he sighed, pushing away from the wall and starting back down the deck._

_“Of course you are.” The brunet stumbled, finding it strange that he couldn’t find his footing no matter how hard he tried. It was as if the ship and sea itself was working against him._

_"Alan, I do not believe you understand what exactly we are up against. I must warn you, what is on the inside of this blasted ship is rather disturbing. The she-devil has been at play and the unfortunate souls of this vessel have paid dearly with their lives. Though fortunately for us, she does not seem to be feeding," William paused and turned to look at Alan; and then emphasized, "… **yet**!"_

_“I’ve faced devils before.” Alan pointed out, managing to get over to William and grabbing his arm for balance._

_William looked down at his arm when he felt the small hand of Alan's take hold of it._

_"Yes, well this is nothing like we have ever faced before. Will you be able to handle what you are about to see, Alan?"_

_“Of course I can—whoa!” The ship tipped, sending them sliding towards the open steps leading down into the belly of the ship, tipping them both down into it. Bruising their arms as they rolled to the bottom together in each other’s arms._

_Slithery and sticky, something moist began to  seep through William's clothing. The base of the stairs were dark, the only candle that had been burning, snuffed out by the gust of wind caused by their bodies as they tumbled down the rickety stairs of the ship. He could feel the smaller reaper atop him, but could see neither his face or what the source of the dampness they now lay upon._

_"Alan are you alright? Something smells terrible down here. It is stronger than death. I cannot see anything," William whispered as he lay staring up into the blackness where Alan's face should be._

_“…My body hurts…” Alan moaned, lifting his head, “…I can’t see anything…”_

_"The ground is sticky and now I am completely coated in whatever it is. Can this day get any worse?" Will pondered as he reached up and touched Alan's chilled cheek. "You really ought not have come, Alan."_

_“I feel I had to…I’m sorry.” Alan whispered, “Here, I’ll help you up…maybe we can find a light…”_

_William took the hand of his lover as it was offered and carefully stood up. He shivered as another gust of wind blew down through the open doorway and met with the dampness at the back of his head. Curious he reached up and touched the sticky substance._

_"Whatever this is, it is quite squishy in my hair. How bothersome, I cannot leave and clean up. I am forced to walk around here covered in what only Hades knows. I feel disgusting," William grumbled as he brought his hand down in front of his face. Lip curling, he sniffed the mysterious gunck. "How vile. If I must guess, I believe it is blood, however, it does not smell either mortal or demon. How odd."_

_“…Reaper?” Alan asked, nervously. He hated to think one of their own had been hurt—or worse. “Or, angel, maybe? Animal?” He moved around, sliding his hands over the smooth walls, looking for something. Finally, his fingers found what felt like an oil lamp hanging from a nail, and he grabbed it, “I think I found a lamp if you have any matches…”_

_"Neither angel, animal, or reaper; but I could swear this is blood," William replied as he continued to stare at his hand, though he could not see it._

_“That makes no sense…” Alan shook his head and made his way back over to William’s voice, “…Match?”_

_"Pardon? Oh, matches. Yes I do believe I have one somewhere in my pockets," William finally answered, "However, do you mind searching for it, Alan? I do not wish to put my hands inside any of my pockets and make more of a mess out of myself."_

_“Then hold this so we don't lose it if the ship rocks violently again.” Alan said, slipping the handle of the lamp into Will’s sickened fingers. “What pockets? Coat?” he asked, feeling around for his lover’s pockets._

_"I cannot say. I am truly not sure which of my pockets you will find it, but I do know there was one in one of my pockets earlier. Search, Alan," William hollered as the wind blew down the tiny staircase once more. "I fear, I wish I knew who or what sort of blood this is. I am equally as puzzled as you are. It is rather disturbingly odd that I cannot define what sort of blood it is."_

_Wallet, work phone, Condoms… (He blushed at that one)_

_Alan searched until finally, in the last pocket of William’s pants, he found a box of matches and he took one out and struck it._

_William squinted, the sudden brightness from the flame piercing his eyes._

_"What the Hell?" he gasped as his eyes slowly reopened and adjusted to the light. Crimson blood oozed from every pore in the wood panel hallway in which they stood. William nearly gagged at the sight. In all his years as a reaper he had never seen walls bleed. "I do believe I know the source of the blood and why I was unable to determine it's origin, Alan. As impossible as this may sound, it appears this ship is somehow bleeding. We need to find Sutcliff straight away."_

_Alan stood frozen in place. The tiny flame on the match creeping towards his fingers until it burned him and it flickered out when he yelped and dropped the match, leaving them in darkness once more._

_"Alan, you did not just do, what you just did, did you, Alan?" William questioned rhetorically with his brow twitching in agitation and hidden in the darkness._

_“S-sorry, I just—I’ll get another one!” He said, fumbling with the box of matches. The blood triggered the same feeling of helpless terror he'd had when his reaping victim had suddenly been ripped apart before his very eyes, and he felt like his energy was being drained from him._

_"Please make sure to light the lamp this time, Mister Humphries. We need to be getting a move on...before something else happens. I do not have a good feeling about any of this. I do not know how this she-devil is making this happen and frankly I do not want to find out," William continued to grumble as he held fast to the lamp in his hand and waited for the brunet to try once more at lighting it._

_Alan frantically struck the match over and over before it fell from his shaking fingers, and he grabbed another…going through five matched before finally getting one lit and lighting the wick of the lamp. He took a deep breath, trying not to look around at the blood-oozing room they were in._

_"Give me your hand, Alan. Do not be afraid. You are a reaper, blood should not_ _make you so queasy. We shall start on this level and work our way down until we find that obnoxious redhead," instructed William as his blood covered fingers wrapped around the brunet's slim wrist. "Try not to breathe in the scent. It will help if you hold your breath."_

_“I…I think we should leave…” he choked out. He hated that he would even suggest it when Grell was there…but then again, was he? Alan never saw him… and something told him in the back of his mind that Grell wasn't mentally healthy enough to return to work…why would he even be there?_

_William looked at the brunet, his brow rose and he spoke with a hint of coldness. "I told you to leave when you first arrived, did I not? It is too late, we must press forward. Sutcliff must be sought out before we can leave. Now is not the time for you to become disconcerted, Mister Humphries."_

_“Why is he here?” Alan asked, grabbing William’s arm to hold him close, “Why are we here?”_

_"Grell and I were sent to collect the souls of those who are dead upon this ship. As for you, I have no idea why Dispatch sent you," William replied tartly as he pried the brunet's hand from his arm and resumed taking hold of it in his hand. "Now, no more dawdling, we must get moving."_

_“But—Grell can’t work…” Alan insisted, tugging his arm._

_"And why not?" Will snapped, pausing where he stood  and turned to face Alan, his brow twitching once more with agitation. "He is just as capable as the next reaper. What under Heaven makes you believe he is not?"_

_“…Because…he hasn’t been cleared…right?” Alan was sure of it. So little was making sense._

_"Cleared? Alan, you are making not a lick of sense. Are you alright? And answer me truthfully, I am growing rather concerned of your mental health."_

_Alan shook his head, “I remember it—you have to remember, too! There is no way Grell can be here! Eric would never allow it!”_

_"Slingby?!" William shrieked, "What ever are you on about? Mister Slingby has no say in what assignments Grell is given. I do believe you are going mad, Alan. You must stop this instance or the devil will sought you out. Do you hear me? Quit this ridiculous rambling."_

_William turned on his heel and began to resume his search for the missing redhead. The walls continued to bleed all around them while he drug Alan close behind him; his nails piercing and digging into the pale flesh of his lover's hand._

_“W-Will—it hurts!” Alan gasped out, watching in horror as blood started to run down his arm and hand, dripping onto the floor. He could feel nails digging deeper and deeper until he couldn’t take it any longer and he cried out, trying to yank his hand away._

_"Hush, there isn't time, she''ll smell the blood and be upon us. We need to find Sutcliff," Will shouted, but didn't look back. He kept striding forward and dragging the brunet with him. He didn’t seem to care not that he was harming his lover in the process and ignored his pleas for release._

_“William—please—let go! What has gotten into you? William!” Alan pleaded, his ears ringing. “—Stop!”_

_Sighing, William pulled harder, until the scent of something vulgar caught his nose. Abruptly stopping, he Pulled Alan close to himself as if to protect him from a disguised threat._

_"Shh...she is near, I can smell her," he whispered, covering the brunet's mouth with his free hand._

_“Wi—Mmmmph!” Alan turned his head, trying to tug Will’s hand from his mouth with his own free hand._

_In the distance, he could hear a clock toll, counting the hour. He narrowed his eyes, where would there be a clock like that? It sounded much larger than a mantel clock that may be on a ship such as this… In fact, it almost sounded like it came from a tower…_

_"Do not move," Will instructed as his eyes narrowed and scanned the darkness. "She is close by."_

_The chimes of the hour grew louder in Alan’s ears, and he twisted, finally breaking free of the hand over his mouth, “What is going on here?!” he demanded._

_Stunned, William glared at the brunet and lunged for him. The lamp in his other hand swung to and fro, threatening to extinguish the little flame flickering within it. To his dismay Alan slipped further back away from him and he was forced to lunge forward yet again, this time making contact, his fingers wrapping tightly around Alan's wrist._

_"Come, there is no time left. The hour is at hand," William said sternly as he gently tugged Alan's arm. "We cannot go back the way we came. We must press forward."_

_“Not until you tell me what’s going on!” Alan insisted, stumbling again as William dragged him forward, “Something’s wrong—I just know it. You have to realize it, too!”_

_"I do not have time to explain. I must get you out of here before she finds you, but we have to find Grell as well. He is in grave danger as we speak. She will taint him if we do not;" Will hurriedly explained, quickening his steps. He could feel the demon gaining on them. They had to hide, find someplace safe to conceal themselves until they could find Grell and return home. The souls would be lost to them, but they could not afford to be turned._

_"I won't let the Bitch have you or Grell. You are both my responsibility and therefore I will do what I must. Now, no more fighting me. Come along Alan, we must find someplace safe."_

_“…Stop it! Just—stop!” Alan shook his head and broke free again, “You aren't acting—normal. Where are you taking me? The further we go the creepier this place gets! I’m not even sure we are on a ship any longer!”_

_But that didn’t make sense. Of course they were on a ship… He’d seen them surrounded by the ocean._

_Will turned slowly back around and rose his brow in question. "If we are not on a ship, then just precisely where are we, Alan? Do you not feel the sway of the boat?"_

_“Actually—no, I don’t. It stopped after we fell. I haven't stumbled once unless you were yanking me around!”_

_"Haven't felt it? I still feel us rocking side to side. Have you gone mad, Alan? We are on a ship and until there is further proof that we are not, we are. Now, let us get on our way. We are in danger, we cannot stay here any longer...she could be upon on us any second now."_

_William's patience was growing thin. Their very lives were being stocked like prey and any moment the Devil herself would manifest and reveal her form to them. They had to be on their way, they had to get moving or die where they stood._

_“Nothing about this even seems natural! And memories are so fuzzy what if it’s a trap--!” Alan’s eyes widened, what if William wasn’t even William? What if he was the bait? The brunet backed away from William._

_"Alan what are you doing? We need to keep moving," Will growled as he felt the smaller reaper slip from his grasp._

_He paused and looked around him, the walls seemed to shift and another staircase formed where they had just trod; if Alan were to take another step back he would fall backwards, and tumble down into the darkness._

_"Alan, don't take another step!" he shouted, "You'll fall."_

_“Are you William?” He asked, hating he had to doubt the man that stood before him. But so much wasn’t right—he had to make sense of it all!_

_When William shouted at him, Alan stumbled back out of reflex and gasped, feeling himself pitch backwards and start to fall._

_"Alan!" Will hollered and without thinking dove after his lover._

_Everything was dark and the pungent smell of blood was thicker still in the air, but the abyss seemed to go on and on, unending. He could hear Alan falling before him, yet he could not make out his small frame in the blackness. The lamp in his hand shook violently and in the blink of an eye it slipped from his fingers vanishing as if swallowed by the abyss. The darkness engulfed his form and he stretched his arm out as far as he could beneath him, grunting he called out to the brunet, "Alan, can you hear me?! Reach up, reach for me!"_

_Alan squeezed his eyes shut a moment and then looked up. He could see William’s silhouette above him. Hesitantly, he reached up towards William, his fingers brushing against Will’s._

_The faintest of touches, but still William could feel his lover's fingertips graze his own. Out of pure determination, he fought to to grab hold of Alan's hand and as if by some miracle, a strange phenomenon occurred. William's arm began to grow longer, stretching out further, until at last his fingers were able to wrap around the smaller reaper's wrist._

_"Alan!" He shouted once more as he reeled in the brunet and encircled the his waist with his other arm, pulling Alan taut close to his chest. "Hold tight to me! I  cannot say as for certain when this tunnel of blackness shall come to an end...nor what fate awaits us when it does. I refuse to let us be parted."_

_That sounded more like the William he knew. Maybe he’d imagined his doubts? Alan clung to William as they fell, “I don’t understand anything that’s going on!”_

_Wind rippled through their hair and threatened to tear the clothes from their backs; still they clung to each other falling to a fate unknown._

_A warm glowing light of red broke through the blackness, surrounding them. William stared into Alan's soft frightened eyes and reached up, touching his chilled cheek._

_"Shh... I will take care of you. Do not fear me. I shall always keep you safe," he whispered._

_“Your—eyes--!” Alan gasped, watching as green-gold was overcome by red._

_The blackness began to grow lighter and lighter all around them, and William's hold grew tighter as they continued to plummet into the unknown._

_"What about my eyes, Alan?" asked William. "What is it you see in them?"_

_“They're red…” Alan whispered, his grip faltering._

_William's hold grew even tighter when feeling the brunet's grip slacken from around his neck. His lips curved into smile as the abyss beneath transformed into a bedroom; and their bodies began to slow so that they might not crash into the floor that soon they would land upon._

_"Of course they are red, they have always been red. Are you just now noticing the shade of crimson they are, Alan?" William asked, running a fingertip over the contours of Alan's right cheek._

_A shiver of fear ran through Alan’s body, “No…that’s not right—You aren’t William!” As soon as Alan felt his feet touch down on the floor he spun and tried to break free, only to realize the room had no windows or doors. Just a bed._

_Puzzled William stepped forward catching Alan's arm and spun him back around to face him. His red eyes seemed to glow brighter and his glasses melted away. His nails turned black and then began to grow long; and sharp. He reached out and scraped them along Alan's jaw, careful not to cut the brunet. while a dark smile carved into his lips._

_"Of course I am, Alan," William replied. Then slowly he turned his head and peered at the bed. He gave a menacing chuckle and whispered, "Grell is here too."_

_Alan swallowed, not knowing what to do. This wasn’t William—this was a demon who had stolen William’s image! “Let go of me.” he whispered the command._

_"Alan..." A soft voice said from the four poster bed as blood red silk sheets began to rustle and something, or someone, sat up in the middle of the mattress. "We aren't going to hurt you. William and I just want to protect you."_

_The being began to giggle and the sheet covering their face slowly slid down to reveal the crimson red reaper. His eyes were burning bright red and his glasses, too, were missing from his face. His perfectly lined white teeth, sharp as nails, sat within a dangerous smile cut from his lips. Strings of black dangled from the corners of his mouth and like a wraith he rose from the bed. A silk night gown of black-red fell to his bare feet. His nails were long and sharp like William's, but instead of black they were fire red and promised of pain if they were to slice through flesh._

_Treading lightly across the carpeted floor, Grell's hips swayed almost seductively as he moved slowly towards the brunet._

_“…Let go… Let go!” Alan gasped, becoming frantic as he tugged himself away from William. He stumbed back, almost directly into Grell’s reach, but he managed to avoid it and regain his balance. There had to be a way out! Running to the walls, he began to search them, trying to find a hidden door. Or—_

_Wait, why not cut his way free?_

_Alan held his hand out to summon his scythe. It formed slowly and with difficulty as if his connection with it had been broken. And when it finished forming in his hand, it fell through his fingers like a ghost._

_“What?!” Alan dropped to his knees, trying to pick up his weapon, unable to take it or even feel it’s handle as his hands continued to pass through over and over._

_"Now, now," Grell tsked as he knelt down next to the struggling brunet; his  fingers slipping under Alan's chin. Carefully he began to turn his head and smiled broadly when their eyes met. "Don't be frightened. We don't want to hurt you, my sweet. We only seek to keep you safe from her."_

_Alan swatted the hand away from his chin, “I don’t need protection! I don’t need whoever you two are!” he insisted, abandoning hope of picking up his scythe and hurrying away, sliding along the walls._

_William sighed and grabbed the brunet from around the waist, pulling him away from the wall._

_"You'll never find your way out of here, Alan. Do not struggle and do not shout, she will hear you and we do not want that now do we?" William warned, dragging Alan towards the bed._

_Grell burst into another fit of giggles as he clapped his hands together and jumped in place. Then giving his lips a quick lick he took off trotting after them._

_"No screaming. No shouting. Don't let her hear your heart beating. The stroke of midnight is at hand and soon the night will be fleeting," Grell spoke hauntingly as he came up on the opposite side of the bed as William with Alan._

_“I don’t care if ‘she’ hears! Let me go!” Alan shouted, elbowing William in the gut as hard as he could._

_William grunted and let go of the brunet, but Alan was immediately stopped by Grell as he jumped up onto the bed and dashed across the mattress effortlessly. He landed just in front of Alan and wagged his finger, eyes narrowing. "Aught, aught, Alan. You'll wish you had stayed quiet when she slices your gut open and rips your thorns from your body."_

_Gently, Grell poked the brunet in the chest, just above his rapidly beating heart._

_"Be a good boy, Allie, and cooperate with us," Grell urged, trailing his nail up Alan's chest and then bopped him on the tip of the nose._

_“And what is it you have planned for me that is any better than what you say ‘she’ would do to me? **You aren’t Grell or William**!”_

_Grell giggled and looked up at William as he stepped up behind Alan and lowered his head. Lips close to flesh he whispered, "Make you like us. She seeks to end you, we can give you eternal life."_

_“—Make me a demon, you mean! No! No, I refuse! Never!” Alan liked being a reaper, and even if Thorns would eventually take his life, he wanted to stay a reaper. “Let me out of this room and leave me alone!”_

_"Oh, we aren't demons...well not yet at least," Grell replied as he turned away from the brunet and leaned against the bedpost. His gaze wandered from the brunet's face as he began to trace along the carved pattern in the wood with his fingertips._

_"You see Allie, she doesn't plan to turn you. She plans to snatch you away from William and torture you for a very long time. You'll wish you were a demon if she gets her hands on you." Grell raised his head and looked Alan straight in the eyes, smiling. "You can be like William and myself. Somewhere in between and out of her reach. We'll protect you, won't we Will?"_

_William cleared his throat and nodded. His warm breath passed over Alan's ear as he began to speak. "Yes, we will. Do not fight us, Alan. It will be over before you know it."_

_“I said no!”_

_Alan ducked down and scurried to the side to get out from between the two. William—his William—would never be caught dead suggesting such a thing for himself or Alan, no matter what the reason. He’d find another way. Grell would possibly consider it, but never William._

_"There is only one way out of here, Alan. I do not have to chase you. You can make this easy on yourself. We do not want her here, nor do we want her to have you. Please cooperate...I love you," Will spoke, straightening his spine and standing to his full height; his eyes staying on the brunet._

_“I SAID NO!” Alan screamed, clenching his fists and bringing them up, ready to use if he needed to._

_Grell giggled, but did not move from his spot, "Look Will, he seems to think he can fight us with fists alone, how adorable. I always thought you were such a cutie, Allie."_

_Alan ignored the embarrassed flush crossing his cheeks, “I shouldn’t have to fight you with anything, Grell.”_

_"I quite agree with you, Alan," Will mused as he a took step towards his lover. "That is why I am asking you to cooperate with us. Neither of us wish to harm you, but if we have to use force...we will."_

_"Yes... Allie, do behave; and let us help you." Grell pouted, his hands running up and down his body, sliding over the silk fabric of his gown._

_“I have already given you my answer, and you will not change it—neither of you will!” His eyes slid over to William, giving him a look of betrayal, “If you are my William, know that if you do this—we are over.”_

_William took another step closer, his lip curled in disgust as he eyed the brunet. In one swift move he was behind the small reaper. He placed his hands, gingerly, against the back of Alan's arms. His fingers curled around his lithe limbs, to grasp and hold the brunet tightly; and in place._

_"I will not allow her to have you. To take you from me. To touch you," he growled, lustfully, his breath hot upon the flesh of Alan's bared neck._

_“Hhya!” Alan grunted as he brought his foot up and into William’s crotch as hard as he could. But William didn’t even grunt in discomfort from the attack. Not even a flinch. It was as if he had kicked a statue rather than a person._ _William was prepared for the rebellious brunet. He suspected Alan would try any tactic to break free and braced himself._

_Alan’s eyes widened._

_"Grell, get the restraints ready. He is not going to cooperate. We need to get this over and done with. She will be here soon," William barked his order as his grip tightened on Alan._

_"Yes, darling," purred Grell._

_Tears stung Alan’s eyes, blurring his vision as he struggled to break free of William’s grasp, his ears starting to ring with white noise as if he was losing consciousness._

_"Alan, do not fall asleep on me, not yet at least," Will ordered, scooping the brunet up into his arms. Quickly he made his way over to the bed and gingerly laid him down upon the soft blankets. "Grell, make sure his hands are secure."_

_"Yes Will," The redhead replied as he climbed onto the bed next to the brunet, taking Alan's left wrist into his hands. "I'll try to be as gentle as possible, Allie."_

_“Stop—no!” Alan struggled more frantically, even as black spotted his vision “NO!!”_

* * *

 

The Brunet screamed out. The black in his vision disappearing and showing a hospital room, though he was still being restrained, though on the floor in his hospital gown. A team of nurses trying to keep him still.

Alan had suddenly cried out in his sleep, somehow successfully flinging himself from his bed and onto the floor before the nurses had gotten to him. He’d flailed around, cutting his hand on the metal of the underside of the hospital bed. The team hurried over to him before he hurt himself more severally, but found themselves unable to awaken the brunet from his night terrors. Alan flailed against them, fighting them in his sleep, and screaming out in protest, even wetting himself and leaving an embarrassing puddle of yellow on the clean white tiled floor under him.

And now, his eyes finally opened, but he didn’t stop fighting, unknowing that he was safe and this was not simply another twist to the dream he’d been trapped in. “No! NO! Let me go!”

“Go call for help!” a nurse holding Alan’s legs called out at another nurse near the door, “And have Mister Humphries Emergency contacts reached!”

* * *

**To be continued...**


	28. Chapter 28

"Clover!" William called, standing at the sliding glass door. The chill of the evening nipping at his cheeks and turning them slightly red. "Clover, it is time for your dinner and I would like to see Alan before bed. Now get in here you troublesome mutt."

Clover bounded around in a circle and slid to a stop, butt in the air and tail wagging playfully with a ball in his mouth until he dropped it and yipped, begging to play.

William sighed and knelt down before the excited border collie. "Not now, boy. You need to eat your dinner and I need to pay Alan a visit at the hospital. Tomorrow, if Alan is not ready to come home, I shall take you to the park and then we can...I wonder who that could be," Will questions, hearing the phone ring in the kitchen, behind him.

"Come on boy," he commands as he stands up and shuts the door behind Clover.

"Hello," he answered, standing at the phone on the other side of the kitchen. "This is Mister Spears, with whom do I speak?"

“Sorry to bother you, Mister Spears, but this is concerning Mister Humphries’ condition. You have been added to his emergency contact list, and we had been unsuccessful in contacting Mister Slingby.”

"Mister Humphries? Alan!" William exclaimed. "What's happened? Is he alright?"

“He’s had…an episode of sorts. We don’t believe it’s related in any way to his illness as it is not a symptom seen before in any Thorns patients on record.” The nurse explained, “We do not know much at the moment, but he seemed to be having a night terror and we were unable to wake him. We are trying to restrain him so he won't do further damage to himself after he flung himself out of his bed and his thrashing managed to cut his hand. He just woke up but when I was in his room still, he didn't seem to realize that he’d woken up, and he still fought the nurses trying to help him.”

"Night terror? He has never experienced one, to my knowledge, ever in his life. Does he seem to still be out of it? I can be there straight away," Will replied, now worried more than ever about his lover. He desperately needed to get there; he needed to see for himself that Alan was alright.

“I’m not sure; none of the nurses tending to him have come out of his room yet.” She answered, “But if you can come in to be with him, it may help calm him down if they haven’t managed it already.”

William licked his lips, his mouth having run dry and then clearing his throat, he replied, "Yes...yes of course. I shall be there post haste. Do I need to bring anything or...never mind, I will be there."

With that he hung the phone up, not even giving the nurse on the other end of the line a chance to say anything further. He darted to the front door to retrieve his keys when he heard Clover's nails tapping upon the floor behind.

"I nearly forgot, you need your dinner. Yes, I must feed you first," mumbled William, turning to head back into the kitchen. "Dog food, where... Oh yes, the pantry."

William hustled past the Border collie, muttering in coherent sentences to himself and Clover's head cocking to the side, watching in confusion. At the pantry Will grabbed a scoop of food and returned to the kitchen where Clover's food dish was stationed in the corner, near the sliding glass doors. He bent over and filled the green, porcelain bowl and patted the pup on the head.

"There you go, boy. I shall be back later. The house is yours."

Once more he made his way back to the front door and let himself out, almost forgetting to lock the door behind him.

* * *

 

William slicked his hair back with his hand as he stepped through the doors of the hospital. He knew precisely where his lover's room was and therefore he did not require the assistance of the nurse at the nurses station and headed straight for the lifts. He looked up at the dig, signaling the elevators arrival and impatiently stepped through the doors before they had fully opened; he then proceeded to pound the number five button on the panel, cursing the elevator for taking to long to close its still open doors.

"For the love all deities, close already."

“That one is out of order, sir.” A cestoidean said, walking over to the lift with an out of order sign to hang on the doors, “You’ll have to use another one.”

"I beg your pardon Sir, but then why did it come down, dig and then open? Aren't these things to remain open and un-moving when out order?" William questioned as he stepped out of the lift and stood next to the little man.

“Doesn’t mean it’s not out of order.” The man shrugged, hanging the sign, “This one keeps getting stuck between floors when people are inside it and press a button. When you call it to your floor it works fine.”

Brow twitching, William adjusted his glasses and looked up and down the corridor. Seeing no other lift in the vicinity, he pressed the man further. "Then might I inquire where another lift might be located? I am in rather a hurry at present and need to get to the fifth floor."

“May be quicker to take the stairs if that’s the case.” He pointed to the door leading to the stairwell, “But the closest lift that is open to visitors is over in Urgent Care.”

"Damn it!" Will muttered to himself. He then smiled to the man and nodded, "Thank you. The stairs it is."

Not waiting for any reply, Will burst through the stairwell door and ran up the stairs, taking two at a time. It had been sometime since last he had done anything of the sort and his legs felt as though they would begin to cramp when he finally reached his destination; and pushed open the door to the fifth floor of the Grim Reaper Dispatch Hospital.

He stood for a moment just out side Alan's door, composing himself. Taking a deep breath he knocked on the wood panel, announcing himself, before turning the knob and entering.

By the time William got up to Alan’s room, the team of nurses had finally gotten Alan to calm down and realize he was both safe and no longer dreaming.

“Come on, Mister Humphries, let’s get you cleaned up and into a fresh hospital gown…and bandage that cut.” One of the male nurses was saying, helping Alan stand up.

Alan glanced down as he stood, his face flushing in pure horror as he saw the mess he’d made of himself and the floor. “Oh—Oh Rhea—d-did I..?!”

“We’ll have it cleaned up.” The nurse reassured him, “It’s not your fault.”

Alan didn’t look so sure—mortified that he had done such a thing. But before he could respond movement caught his eye and he looked up to see a panting and sweaty William.

–His embarrassment grew worse.

"Alan?" Will breathed as he quickly moved forward to the foot of the bed. He was astounded to find the brunet was just being moved back to the bed. Had it taken that long for them to remove him from the floor?

"Are you...is he alright?" Will glanced to the nurses attending his lover.

“It took us some time to calm him down and get him back to reality, but he’ll be fine once we get him cleaned up and in fresh clothes.” The nurse nodded, “Though his doctor wants to see if he can find out what happened and if it’s anything to be concerned about. Uh—you may not want to come much closer, Mister Spears.” He nodded down to their feet and the mess that had yet to be mopped up and disinfected.

"Oh..." William swallowed as his eyes met the floor. A dusting of pink painted his cheeks as he once more looked up at the brunet. "I am thankful he was not hurt from the fall...other than his hand."

He decided to come up along the other side of the bed and softly asked, "Alan, are you alright?"

“…Mortified…” Alan admitted in a whisper. He would have sought comfort from the man, but he was a complete mess, and he didn’t want to soil his lover’s suit as he had his hospital gown.

The nurse guided him around the mess and to the bathroom, “Would you like help, or should I stay outside the door just in case something happens?” he asked, pulling a clean gown out and placing it on the counter for Alan to change into.

"I can help, if you would like, Alan. I do not mind." William offered, looking sympathetic at his lover. He could feel the embarrassment radiating from him and he felt horrid for the predicament Alan had awoke to.

The brunet hesitated, but nodded, waiting for William to join him in the bathroom and the door to close as the nurse gave them privacy. He said nothing as he slipped out of his soiled clothes and dropped them in the bin to be taken for cleaning, leaving himself naked as he turned on the water to wash himself.

"Let me," William offered leaning forward and covering the brunet's hand with his own, on the nozzle. "Do you prefer a bath or a shower, Alan. And thank you for allowing me to help you. I was terribly alarmed when I received the call. I rushed to get here as fast as I could."

“I’m sorry…I don’t even know what all that was…” Alan shook his head, “I’m just going to get a quick shower and then get my hand wrapped up…”

William took the brunet's hand and turned it around to get a better look at it. It pained him to see the damage Alan had done in his sleep. The gash was not small, but at least it was not deep. He cringed at the thought of how it was going to burn under the water, but he said nothing to further risk his lover more embarrassment.

"I shall help however you need me to, Alan." He offered and let go of his hand.

“…I want to spend tonight with you.” Alan said, stepping into the shower and taking the soap with his uninjured hand to quickly clean his body and rinse off. Taking a little more time on cleaning his hand; gritting his teeth against the sting.

"I do not believe they are going to release you after what happened today," William replied and then it hit him, perhaps Alan was asking him to stay here, in the hospital with him for the night. "Alan, would you like me to sleep here?"

Alan nodded, though William wouldn't be able to see due to the shower curtain. “…Please. Maybe I’ll sleep better with you here.” He finished rinsing his hand off and turned off the water, grabbing the towel before stepping out of the tub.

"Let me," William said, taking the towel from his lover's hands and helping him to step over the edge of the tub's side. Gingerly he began to dry Alan, starting at his shoulders and slowly making his way down the brunet's body.

Alan watched him in silence for a moment before speaking again, “…You were a demon.” He stated in a low voice, “You and Grell…you wanted to turn me, too. –In my dream, that is…the one I was trapped in.”

William's hands froze and he slowly looked up; concern was etched deep within his eyes. A demon? Him? What an odd thing to dream, but then again, he had been tainted. He was detoxed and assured no remnants had been left inside his body. He had been cleared with a clean bill of health before being released from the hospital; after his ordeal with the mysterious demon. Even Grell who had suffered a worse fate, had been cleared. Was Alan afraid he might have been turned?

"What an intriguing dream, Alan," he replied and resumed working his way down each of Alan's slender legs. "I find that rather amusing, the idea of myself being one of those loathe creatures. I wonder what conjured that idea in your head."

“I don’t know, but it was frightening. Seeing your eyes that red…” he shook his head and took a deep breath, “I’m glad it was only a dream.”

Standing back up, Will wrapped the towel around Alan's body and pulled him into his arms. Softly he whispered, resting his cheek on the top of Alan's head, "I can assure you, my eyes are green and they shall never be anything but. I am not going to turn into a demon and I am certainly never going to try and turn you into one, either."

“I thought so…” Alan trailed off, pressing his lips to William’s, “I knew you would never hurt me like that.”

He lingered in William’s arms a moment longer before looking around for the clean hospital gown and reaching for it to put it on. “We should go out so my hand can be bandaged and I can let them know that you’re staying tonight if they don’t release me.”

"Alright." Reluctantly William released the brunet from his arms and helped tie the back of his clean gown. "Would you be comfortable in my leaving to retrieve a change of clothes. I am not to fond with the idea of sleeping in my suit."

Alan hesitated, but nodded. It was a fair request, after all. “Just hurry back.” He agreed and opened the door in time to see the custodian leave with his mop and bucket from cleaning up the mess Alan had made.

"I will, but let’s see to getting you all fixed up and back in your bed. There is no rush for me to dart off so quickly. I just fed Clover, so he shall be fine for the night. I will let him out one more time when I briefly return to the house."

Alan nodded and sat down on his bed, holding his hand out for the nurse to tend to with a salve and bandages. “I’m not going to go back to sleep until you return.” He stated, “But I’ll rest in the bed while I wait for you.”

"How about we get you settled and get some dinner. Then when things calm, I can dash home and let Clover out, lock up and collect my things. We have plenty of hours before sleep," William replied as he took a seat in the visitors chair, so he would not be in the way.

“Oh—yes, of course.” Alan glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. He had been completely unaware of the time when he finally snapped out of the dream. “Sorry, I thought it was later than it is.”

William also glanced up at the clock and then smiled as he turned his head, and looked back at the brunet.

"I had only been home from work for a short time when the phone rang. I would have fixed myself dinner and ate with Clover, but I would much prefer to eat here...with you."

“We could get something delivered.” Alan suggested, “So you don’t have to run out to get something. I’m sure you don’t want hospital food.” He smiled. “I don’t mind the idea of something _not_ from here.”

The nurse chuckled and finished wrapping Alan’s hand before getting up and grabbing a pamphlet and handing it to the brunet as he walked out.

“This is a list of all the places that deliver here.” Alan explained.

"I quite agree. I had enough of it upon my own stay," William replied," Do you have any suggestions or preferences?"

Alan shook his head, “I have no preferences…except maybe nothing spicy.”

William gave a little chuckle and then cleared his throat as he shifted in his seat.

"I agree nothing spicy, not after your little jaunt from the bed. Nor do I have the constitution to handle such food, tonight. Perhaps something light, maybe some sort of chicken dish?" he suggested, "We might have some luck with Italian."

Alan nodded and flipped through the list of restaurants, “How about this place?” he asked, showing it to William.

William leaned forward and took the menu from Alan's hands. He adjusted his glasses to get a better look and began to read over the suggestion.

"I do believe it will suffice," he answered. "They seem to have quite the selection. Do you have some idea of what you might be leaning towards?"

“I haven’t tried their food before,” Alan admitted, “I’ll try anything easy on the stomach.”

William stood from his chair and approached the beside table to use the phone; but before he removed the phone from it's cradle, he looked down at Alan and asked, "Would you care for me to order for you or would you like to pick something yourself?"

“Surprise me.” Alan smiled, slipping back into bed and adjusting his pillows so he could sit comfortably.

"Alright," William replied and began to dial the number provided on the menu. After a few minutes he had two light dishes ordered and was give the time of thirty minutes until delivery. Naturally he looked to the clock and marked the time, mentally. He of course always timed delivery services.

"Dinner shall be here in half hours time," he mentioned as he sat down on the edge of the bed instead of the chair. "How are you feeling now that you are back in bed?"

“Better; at least my heart is calming from that dream. It helps that you are here.” He slid his fingertips down William’s arm very lightly.

William leaned forward and brushed the hair from Alan's brow and placed a chaste kiss to his forehead.

"You are safe, Alan. There are no demons here and I am never going to become one. It was just a nightmare," he assured, pressing their heads together. "It was just a bad, bad dream."

Alan leaned forward and rested his forehead against Will’s shoulder, “That dream shouldn't have affected me so much…I’m not a child, yet…it made me feel like one when I woke up.

Will stared at the pillow behind Alan, his arms winding tightly around his waist. He had never seen the brunet, in all the years he had known him, seem so frightened; and it was a dream that had cause the distress.

"It will be alright, Alan," he said soothingly as his hand began to rub the brunet's back. "I will not let any demon harm you. It was just a dream and you are safe in our realm."

“I know…” Alan sucked in a breath and pulled back to look at him, “But it’s not just me I’m worried about. You, Grell, Eric and Ronald… I don’t want to see any of you get any more hurt than you already have by whatever has been happening.”

"Demons can't come into our world. There is no way we can get hurt here and we are limiting reapers entering the mortal realm. Matter of fact, there have been no incidents in that realm for sometime, though I must admit, we are still being cautious and reapers are still working in groups for the time being," William smiled. "Do not worry, Alan. Soon everything will be back to normal. I am not allowing Ronald to collect for now and Grell is working alongside Slingby in the offices and doing much better."

William, however, neglected to tell Alan that shortly after his initial attack, Grell had had an accident and had fallen from the window of Eric's office on the thirteenth floor of Dispatch. That particular incident was still under investigation and Grell  had been bedridden for sometime now; while Eric had requested leave to play caregiver to the redhead. William had been very careful not to let it slip on his visits and had ordered no one was to mention the ordeal to Alan. He had stated it was far to upsetting; and that it was most important for Alan to recover and not relapse, that the news could possibly hinder his recovery. It was better if Alan believed that Grell was happy and busy at work. He knew that Alan would be troubled and worried and he just could not allow that at this time.

So for the first time in their relationship; he lied to his lover.

Alan sighed and nodded, “I know, but I can’t help worrying. I care about all of you, and things have gotten so bad as of late… Demons, attacks, nightmares… It feels almost too much.”

"I know," William replied, touching Alan's cheek, "A lot has occurred, but I am not demon, Grell is not a demon and there are no demons here."

Deciding to change the subject, William cleared his throat and smiled, Clover wants you to get well. He misses you terribly. I also miss you terribly. We both would like you to get well and come home."

“Too bad you can’t bring him in to see me.” Alan smiled with a chuckle, “I miss his energy and slobbery puppy kisses.” He relaxed back against his pillows once more and looked up, “I was supposed to be released today…”

"Were you?" William's brow rose. "I was not aware of this. When were you told this?"

“Last night. They said if nothing happens today then they will release me to your care rather than having to stay here.” Alan explained. “Though I’d have to wait a few more days before I can return to the office.”

"I see," replied William, "And now that you had your little tumble from your bed, they now wish to keep you here for observation. How unfortunate, it would be more than welcoming to have you return home this evening, but I do not wish to put you at further risk and I am sure the doctors would not allow it, even if I tried to persuade them."

Alan sighed and nodded, “So much for finally making it official that I move in with you and Clover…”

William leaned forward and pressed his lips to the brunet's. Tenderly he kissed him and then whispered, "As far as I am concerned, you have officially moved in with Clover and myself...you just had to stay here a night or two, or five."

“This is taking so long…” Alan nearly pouted, “A day seems double that time when I have you waiting at home for me. It was easier to stay here when I was alone.”

"Shh...it hasn't been that long, really. Just a few nights apart and soon you will be home. I would rather spend a few nights away from you, then not to have you in my life. So for that, I am grateful you are no longer alone," William pointed out, adjusting his glasses.

Alan reached out and took William’s hand, “You can be too sweet sometimes.” He giggled.

"Sweet?" William questioned, "How...but... Alan, I am never sweet, just grateful."

“You’re sweet to me. The others at the office may never see it, but you are.”

William cupped Alan's face and began to caress the fine line of his left cheekbone. He gazed longingly into his lover's eyes and leaned forward once more to capture the brunet's soft lips. In a breath he whispered, "You are too good for me. I am not worthy of your love."

“And you think I’m worthy of yours?” Alan smiled, “I say we both lucked out with each other, given that we both had been the kind of men to refuse getting involved with anyone romantically.”

"I cannot disagree with that, Alan," William smiled and then said, "I feel most fortunate that I have you; and all I ask is for you to rest and return home soon...to me."

Alan squeezed his lover’s hand and closed his eyes to rest them a moment, “I hope dinner gets here soon…I’m starting to get tired again.” He chuckled.

"Would you like me to call and see if they could put a rush on it for you?" William offered as he let his hand slip from Alan's cheek. "I would very much like to make sure you get your dinner before you sleep."

Alan shook his head, “Its dinner rush. They are busy enough, I’m sure.  When they come, if I have drifted off, then just wake me so we can eat.”

William nodded and glanced at the clock. "Nap, if you feel you must and I will wake you when they arrive with your dinner tray. And if you do not feel like sleeping, then I am here to converse with."

“Come here.” Alan moved over in the hospital bed and patted the spot next to him, “I still want you close.”

Smiling, Will rose and situated himself next to the brunet. He stretched his arm out and he urged Alan to lift his head, offering his arm as a neck pillow. Once the brunet was comfortable, William laced the fingers of his free hand with those of his lover's and brought his hand to his lips.

"I have missed you," whispered William as he kissed Alan's palm.

“You have come to visit me every day.” Alan joked, but then he let out a sigh, “But I’ve missed you, too. Maybe we can go out to see a show again when I get released.”

"I would love that," replied Will, "Though I must insist, you pick the show. I chose a beautiful Opera, but I believe it hit to close to home and you might enjoy something lighter; or altogether different."

“Just because I cried doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it!” Alan insisted, “But it is my turn to choose.”

"I never said you did not enjoy it, only that the story hit close to home and perhaps you might choose something lighter or altogether different. If you would like to watch another opera that is that emotional, then by all means we shall see one. I would rather you make the decision on that," explained William, placing another kiss to Alan's palm. "I never wish to upset you, Alan."

“I wasn’t upset…I simply could relate. –Now, more than ever because now I have you as more than just a boss and friend.” The brunet kissed Will’s neck and snuggled in closer.

William closed his eyes and savored the feel of Alan's lips. It had been far too long since he felt them on his body – and in such a provocative manner. He could only wish, however, that they were home and making love. Their last attempt had been interrupted and since then, he had been forced to sleep in a large, cold bed, alone. If Alan hadn't just had such a terrible incident, he might have gone for lovemaking with his lover right here and right now; but the night was not meant to be, and so he turned his head and opened his eyes.

“William…” Alan muttered after a few moments of silence had passed, “…After this whole demon thing is cleared up…I’d like it if we could get time off work, like we talked about…maybe do some traveling for a few weeks…”

"I would love that and I should not think it would be to hard for us to get the time requested. After all I have hardly ever taken time off - and with you, the higher-ups hand it to you like candy to a child." William smiled and asked, "Do you have an idea of where you like to take a Holiday?"

Alan chuckled, “This will be the first time I actually request the time off. Normally It’s forced upon me by the doctors.” He opened his eyes and looked up at William, “I just want to see the world. See new things…somewhere outside of Europe. Maybe Africa, or Asia…”

"The far East sounds nice," William replied with a coy smile. "Perhaps we should start there."

“Sounds lovely.” Alan smiled, closing his eyes again as a knock sounded at the door, bringing with it the scent of food.

“Is this the room that ordered food?”

"Yes, I believe it is." William replied and sat up. "We were just discussing dinner. We appreciate seeing that tray you are wheeling in."

Alan opened his eyes and sat up, reaching over to pull his table tray over to use for their meal, along with his wallet to pay for the food. “How much will that be?” he asked, opening his fold and taking out the cash that was in it.

 "Alan, put that away," William ordered. "It will go on your bill and it will be handled later."

William turned to the Delivery boy and bowed his head, "Thank you. I believe we can take it from here. We appreciate your timely delivery."

“But I have the money with me, now.” Alan protested, “I can pay it now.”

“As long as the food gets paid for, I don’t care.” The delivery boy shrugged, setting the bags of food on Alan’s little table.

"Put the food on his bill and I will handle it later," ordered William, looking pointedly at the youth. "Thank you."

The man nodded and left them again.

Alan blinked, slowly placing his cash back into his billfold. “You can't pay for everything, you know. I could have covered our dinner tonight.”

"And you should know by now, not to pay as it comes, just get the bill at the end of your stay. You do not need to be troubling yourself each time they bring your food. This is a hospital, Alan." Will retorted and began pulling the food from the bag. "And who says I cannot pay for everything. We are a couple now. I wish to provide for you."

“I don’t see why the hospital should pay for the food we order out for when I can pay it up front.” Alan pointed out, “And don’t make this into a competition. I may start racing you to the pocketbook.”

William eyed the door, for a moment and then turned back to the hospital bed and the brunet sitting in it. "That wasn't from the hospital? You ordered out, but when and how?"

He shook his head completely confused and dropped into his seat. "Alan, what is going on, I am thoroughly confused now."

“…You ordered out, William.” Alan reminded, narrowing his eyes, “That menu collection is just the places that deliver here. They aren’t based here in the hospital.”

"Italian, that's right. I forgot. I called the order in and we have been waiting for sometime now for it to arrive." William looked up, remembering, vaguely.

"Should I give chase and pay him?" he asked, unsure of what to do. He was still confused as to what had just happened and wondered how he could have forgotten about placing the order. Alan was indeed correct, the food was not from the cafeteria, but from a restaurant.

Alan shook his head, “No use, now. –Are you okay?” he asked, taking his plastic fork out of it’s wrapper and looking at the two dinners, “Which one is mine?”

William looked at the food platters and then up at his lover. "It matters not, they are both the same. And to be quite honest, I am not sure. I did not remember ordering this, until you reminded me."

Alan nodded and opened one of the takeout boxes, “It’s okay, I did give you a bit of a scare. You probably were still thinking about it when you ordered out for us.”

"Yes, that was probably it."

But William was not entirely convinced that was the reason. He now felt uneasy and strange inside. He had never doubted himself until that moment. With his confidence shaken, William sat carefully back down on the bed, near the foot. He reached for his own platter, but still his mind was struggling to comprehend what had just occurred.

Alan gave him a small supportive smile and bit into a slice of garlic bread.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	29. Chapter 29

"As you can see, Alan, I had them install an additional emergency line in here as well. So not only is there an emergency phone in the kitchen, the downstairs hall and the upstairs hall, there will now be one right here...just before you enter the library," William pointed out as he familiarized the brunet with their now shared home.

It was late afternoon and the day after Alan's embarrassing romp with the floor of his hospital room. William had stayed the night as promised and when it appeared that Alan was perfectly healthy the next morning, his thorns being the exception, the doctors believed he was suitable for release, and into the care of William.

All too grateful to be released and ready to finally settle into his new home, Alan had packed rather quickly and was ready to leave the hospital the instant William returned from checking on Clover.

As the handsome couple made their way home, William stopped by a small cafe and ordered them a light lunch which they chose to take to go, rather than eat at the restaurant. A light and comfortable conversation passed between them as they soaked up the noon sun and enjoyed the brisk breeze that ruffled their hair as they walked. But as soon as they turned the corner and onto William's street, Clover, whom had been patiently awaiting the return of his Master, caught wind of the approaching brunet through the seams of the front door, and stood dancing a jig just on the other side. He knew that tonight he wouldn't have to sleep another night alone. He hated how cold the house felt when Will was away and now that he was attached to Alan, the same could be said for him as well.

Now, after having greeted the brunet with puppy kisses and taking the poor reaper to the ground, Clover sat curiously watching his Master and new Master talk near the door of the library. He remembered strange men entering the house and installing the strange thingy, that hung on the wall now. Four in total, throughout the entire house, but for what reason was beyond him and yet here his Masters stood talking and gawking at these strange things.

"I do hope you do not think I went overboard, Alan...but this is a large house compared to your apartment and I wanted to be sure there was a phone within reach, if and when I am not here," William added as he tried to read the expression on his lover's face. 

He could not help but wonder if the brunet was pleased or not. Alan was often time hard for him to gauge; and he had pointed out time and again that William was just a tad over protective. But in comparison, William's house could eat Alan's former quaint apartment; and in his mind, it was better to be over prepared than not prepared enough. So despite their original plan for one additional line, William had opted for three.

William's right brow slowly rose. "Alan?"

The brunet shook his head and looked up at William, “It’s good to be prepared with this. I never know when I’ll have an attack, and I need to have a life line close. My apartment was fine with one because it was quick to grab no matter which room I was in. I’m used to having only go to the hall that connects all of the rooms I had. And it wouldn’t do if I got trapped on the ground too far from one. I know you’d never forgive yourself should that happen when you aren’t here to make the call for me.”

Alan ran a hand through his hair and sighed, “I see you unpacked all my things for me, as well. Are my clothes all mixed in with yours, or do I have my own drawers and hanging space?”

"Yes, I gave you the bottom three drawers of the chest of drawers, as I was not using them. The entire right side of the closet and the entire right side of the dresser. You are also in control of the right side night stand, since I tend to fall asleep on the left side of the bed. I hope you do not mind that arrangement," William replied as he walked over to the closet and opened the door. "There are plenty of shelves for storage in here as well."

“It’s fine. I don’t have a preference for bed side as my bed had been a twin-sized bed.” He bit his lip and looked around, “Where did you put my collection of stuffed animals? Obviously I can’t keep them on our bed like I had at my apartment, but I do enjoy curling up with them with a good book.”

William smiled and took Alan's hand.

"Follow me," he instructed leading the brunet to the door and then down the hall to the guest bedroom. "I thought in here would be a good place and as I have never had a guest sleep here, you are more than welcome to use this room at your discretion."

Alan peered inside to find all his stuffed toys on display upon the guest bed. “Well look at that…you gave them a room of their own.” He chuckled.

Will adjusted his glasses and then shrugged, "I suppose you could say that. I thought this was better than a box in the attic. Are you pleased with my decision, Alan?"

“Very.” Alan smiled before seizing his boyfriend’s wrist and dragging him into the room towards the bed. He let go and jumped onto it when they were close enough and he grinned, turning to face William and pop up onto his knees as he reached forward and grabbed his tie, pulling him into a kiss.

“I think we were rudely interrupted last time, William.” He purred.

William's right brow twitched as he was suddenly tugged forward by his tie. However, he was not annoyed, but aroused; his body instantly awaking and filling with the desire to be one with his lover. As their lips joined passionately, he slipped his hands around the brunet's hips and onto his backside; and ever so gently, he squeezed Alan's ass and mumbled, "Yes...yes we were."

“Hmm~” Alan slipped his arms around William and fell back, dragging William onto the bed with him. As soon as they were on the bed, he began working on William’s buttons. He wanted this. It had been a long time, and he knew William was frustrated at always having their intimacy blocked time after time.

"Alan? Are you sure?" William whispered, watching the brunet reach for his buttons. "I don't want to upset you after what happened yesterday. Perhaps it is too soon. We have plenty...."

But William's sentence was cut short as he felt Alan's lips press into his own, stealing the words that were flowing from his mouth. He resigned and closed his eyes. It was obvious that Alan wanted this and there was no further reason to push the issue. So William relaxed into his lover's arms and chose to let Alan lead this dance. He trusted him and knew that Alan would not be foolish, that he would not do something that would provoke another attack. William even began to wonder if love making might possibly benefit Alan after his recent stint in the hospital and in all honesty, it had been sometime since they had just enjoyed one another. 

"Alan..." he breathed painfully and desperately.

Once William was topless, Alan urged William to help remove his clothes in turn. “I promise, I want this – I want you, and I know that,” he let off a giggle as he tickled his fingers over Will’s hip, “you want me, too.”

"Yes..." Will replied as he began to tug at the hem of Alan's shirt, freeing it from the confines of his trousers. "I want you more than I have ever wanted anything."

Alan lightly bit on Will’s lower lip and tugged playfully to distract him while he worked on the man’s belt so that he could push his slacks off his hips. His hands pausing only to feel a good handful of his rear.

"Ahh..." William groaned and arched his head back, eyes closed.

"Alan," he gasped as he ground his erection into his lover's. "I....I have nothing in...in here to use. I d-don't want to hurt you."

“…Oh…right… then, maybe…hold on.” Alan panted, getting up and kicking his pants off the rest of the way before sliding out of bed and hurrying to the master bed, hopping over Clover as he went to retrieve their oil from William’s side table. Then, he hurried back.

“Got it.”

William's brow rose as he watched the small brunet reenter the guest room. His eyes fell immediately upon the tiny, green bottle, held tightly in the grip of Alan's right hand. He had felt cold the minute the brunet had withdrawn from him and left the room, but now as their bodies began to reconnect the warmth from before began to return to William; and he smiled as his lips made contact with Alan's neck.

"I wasn't sure...if you...would return or...not," William breathed between pressing kisses over Alan's delicate flesh. "We have not made love in so long... Alan..."

“I said I’d be back…” Alan moaned, his eyes falling shut as he, once again, found himself on his back on the bed, his lover atop him, kissing him, touching him. His hands sliding sensually over his soft, thorn-scarred skin as if he was the most precious thing in the world. With a soft moan, the brunet returned the touches, his own hands exploring William’s back, shoulders and…even his rear was squeezed shamelessly.

"Yes...but it seems...whenever we are no....no longer touching....something...happens," Will replied as his lips trailed further down the brunets small frame. His tongue appearing as it circled Alan's right nipple.

“Ah-ahh!” Alan gasped out, having forgotten that William could make him melt with simple fondling of his nipples. He shivered, fingers curling and leaving little red scratches on Will’s back.

The sound of Alan gasping pleased the typically stoic reaper, though at this moment he was nothing of the sorts. Here he was a male in heat; longing to take his lover in one thrust. But he wouldn't as he would control his baser instincts – he would lavish his lover with kisses and seductive caresses. It had been far too long since last they coupled and William did not want to spoil the mood.

"Alan..." he whispered as his mouth covered the brunet's nipple and gently he began to suckle.

“W-William…” Alan breathed, “M-more…” he requested, nearly pawing at Will’s sides and arms, urging him on.

"What would you like me to do? Take you into my mouth?" asked William as he lifted his head and his eyes met the brunet's.

Alan flushed a deep pink color, “Ah—i-if you want to.” He squeaked out.

William smirked and nipped the brunet's nipple. "I want you to order me to do it, Alan. I want you to command me to make love to your body, with my mouth and my tongue. Tell me what you desire and order me to do it."

“Order you?” Alan frowned, finding the request odd. He propped himself up on his elbows and looked at William, “…Why?”

"Because I wish it," William replied simply. "Command me to lavish your body with my mouth."

“Ah—I…” Alan felt very awkward and unnatural about giving commands for such personal things. He didn’t like feeling as if he was forcing William to do anything. He simply wanted to enjoy William’s intimate company, and have William enjoy his.

“I want you to…to suck me off.” He flushed, his words sounding so dirty to his own ears.

William smiled crookedly, but lowered his head and began trailing kisses down Alan's torso. Stopping only briefly to run his tongue sensually around his belly button before continuing on his path to his desired goal. He like the way it sounded, the order Alan gave him and he complied diligently as he reached the brunet's hardening sex.

"Alan?" he groaned as he paused and looked up.

Alan bit his lip and looked down at him, waiting.

Keeping his eyes locked with the brunet's, William slowly eased his lips over the tip of his lover's bulbous head. The warm flesh of his shaft rested against Williams's tongue and slowly he began to lower his head. Inch by inch he took Alan deeper into his mouth and to the back of his throat until he could no further; and just as he had lowered so he began to rise once more. His fingers grabbed the insides of the brunet's thighs, nails piercing his flesh gently. William moaned as he reached the head, but did not release his lover. Instead he repeated the action and gradually took his lover fully back into his mouth.

Alan gasped and let out a low moan, his eyes closing. “Ahh—William—nnh…” He lay back down on the bed, head back and body stretching out under William’s attentions.

William smiled around his lover's length, watching him as he lay back down upon the soft blankets. His own cock twitched with excitement as he resumed his ministrations. Carefully he shifted and reached out grabbing the bottle of oil, pulling it to him and withdrew his mouth from Alan's member.

Huskily he inquired, "Alan, are you ready for me to began prepping you? If you are, order me to do so. I will continue to use my mouth as well, unless you give me the order to stop."

“Please…” Alan couldn’t help but make his words sound more like a request. He was too polite to make it a strict order. “…I want you to get me ready for you.” His voice was just above a whisper.

William opened the top of the container and poured oil onto one of his hands. He corked the bottle and sat it to the side. Once more he looked up and met Alan's eyes, "I will now begin preparing you, Alan."

He lowered his mouth again to the brunet's throbbing length, but this time as he began to receive him, he slid one finger into Alan's backside. His intentions to distract his lover from the discomfort and maximize the pleasure.

“Ah—ohh!” Alan stiffened, his body lifting from the soft mattress as William’s finger slid up into him, brushing against his inner walls that hadn’t been touched in so long. He brought his hand up to his lips and lightly bit on the knuckle of his finger, but he didn’t ask Will to stop.

William's head continued to bob up and down and his tongue swirled ever-so-often around the tip of Alan's member. His finger pumped faster and when he felt the brunet relax ever-so-slightly, he slid a second into his warm body, scissoring and stretching him further. Alan was just as desperate to make love as he was. He had known it moments before when the brunet had so eagerly rushed to retrieve the oils, but even now, his body was begging for Will to make love to him. Soon William would quench those fires that were burning so hotly between them.

"Alan," he gasped, between strokes.

As William worked, Alan’s gasps grew louder and more desperate, his body craving more and more until finally he couldn’t handle waiting anymore. “Take me!” He cried out, hardly aware of how dirty his words sounded, “I want you in me, William!”

William didn't say anything in reply. Alan's cry for release was all the command he needed. He released the brunet's sex and withdrew his fingers from Alan's body. He popped open the bottle once more and began to coat his aching cock with the oils. He groaned as his hand slicked his heated flesh. Satisfied, he positioned himself between his lover's legs. His member twitched as it pierced on the edge of entry, but William did not press inside; not yet. He lay down atop the brunet and captured his lips. Passionately, he stole Alan's breath, just as he thrust his hips and entered him. He waited a moment, buried deep within the smaller reaper. Alan's body needed to adjust to his intrusion, and so he broke the kiss and looked down into his eyes.

"Alan...are you alright?" he asked.

After their last attempt to make love, William wanted validation that the brunet was feeling on par, that he had not hurt him. He ached with need, but would not risk his lover's health. If Alan needed him to stop – as painful as that might be for his anatomy – he would oblige.

Alan nodded, though tears glittered in his eyes, not yet escaping. He slipped his arms around William and let out a shaky breath, “I want you.” He repeated, his breath blowing against Will’s lips in soft pants. “Please…move.”

William nodded and pressed their mouths together once more as he slowly withdrew. When only the tip of his bulging appendage remained, he reversed direction and slowly reentered the brunet. His breath came out in a long, languid moan. Eyes shut; he concentrated on the feel of his lover's warm body encasing him. He was determined to make the sensations last as long as possible, unless Alan ordered him to do otherwise. Yes, Alan could order him to do anything tonight, anything he desired and William would not refute.

Alan gasped out a long moan as he was slowly filled again by his lover. His legs hooking around the man’s middle as he accepted him, granting him better access. “O-ohh…sweet mother of death…feels good…” he breathed.

Sweat began to form upon William's brow and he lowered his mouth, pressing it to Alan's neck and shoulders. He kissed the brunet's warm flesh, nibbling and suckling here and there. The salt from his lover's flesh stinging his tongue delightfully. He quickened the pace of his hips thrusting when his ears started to ring. The sound echoed throughout his head, yet he was not distracted. His heart began to pound against his ribs and behind his closed lids, his eyes illuminated red.

"Alan..." he growled ferociously and without thinking, he sunk his teeth into the crook of Alan's neck. Blood gushed forth, filling William's mouth, but he didn't stop. Instead, the rush life in his mouth excited him and he growled louder, thrusting harder and faster.

Alan stiffened and cried out, his eyes snapping open, “W-William! Too rough!” he gasped, not enjoying the biting at all. Trembling, he pushed on Will’s shoulders, though he felt weak from the member pounding against his sweet spot deep inside. “Ah—Ahh!”

William ignored the pleas of his lover; too enthralled by the power of his blood. To driven. He could feel his orgasm growing and barreling towards him with great velocity. He reached between their bodies and wrapped his fingers around Alan's cock. Forcefully, but not rough, he began to stroke the small brunet, desiring Alan to orgasm alongside him.

"I make one request, Alan." He finally tore his mouth from the brunet's shoulder; his voice dripping with lust as he whispered into the Alan's ear. "Come with me."

Again William lowered his mouth to Alan's, capturing his lips and kissing him deeply; smearing his lips crimson with his own blood.

The younger brunet didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know what he could do other than shiver, tremble, cry out, and take what he was being given. The flavor of blood making him gag as he was forced to taste it.

What was happening? This wasn’t like the other times… William had never bitten or hurt him in any way while they made love… and now he was entertaining blood play? Acting some-what like a vampire?

But Alan couldn’t say anything. Despite the horrid metallic flavor on his lips and tongue, and the throbbing pain from the bite mark, Alan found himself crying out, muffled by William’s lips. His lower half drawn too close to his limit and threatening to spill over at any second.

Past the point of no return, William could not stop. He could feel Alan's body tense around his own and he heard Alan's muffled cries; but pleasure was driving him and lust was leading him. He was nearly there at the edge of orgasm. His body was teetering until with one last thrust the white rush of orgasm rained down upon him and he spilled his seed deep within his lover. He grunted and his hand did not still. He continued to stroke Alan, all the wile he luring him to his own orgasm.

"Come for me, Alan," he demanded.

“Ahh—Ah! Tears stinging his eyes, Alan stiffened more, back curving as his body gave in, letting the pent up pressure shoot out, covering his tense abs in a sticky mess. Then he collapsed under William, panting hard and his neck throbbing.

William's hand came to a stop. He looked down at Alan, through his partially concealed eyes. The red glow, burning within them, slowly beginning to fade. He released Alan' member and leaning forward, carefully, he touched his cheek.

"Alan?" he whispered, seeing the tears, on the verge of spilling, in Alan's eyes. It was then that he saw the blood smeared across Alan's throat and lips. His eyes shot wide, their normal shade of green returning that instance.

"What happened?" asked William as he turned the brunet's head to the side to examine the wound more closely. "How did this occur?"

Rightfully upset, Alan promptly pushed William up and away while smacking his hand to the side before he got up and out of the bed, “Next time I say something hurts—stop doing it to me!” he snapped, the tears rolling down his cheeks before he turned to go to the nearest bathroom to clean himself up.

Shocked, William rubbed his cheek and watched the brunet head for the door, but he didn't understand. What had just happened? What had he done? His tongue traced the line of his lips, to moisten his dry mouth and was met with the familiar tangy taste of blood. Why was his lips covered in blood?

"Alan..." he breathed, realizing it was the brunet's blood he was tasting. Blood from his shoulder where William had notice bite marks when he had turned Alan's head to the side. "Oh Heavens, what have I done?"

William bolted from the bed and snatched up his trousers. As he headed for the door he slipped the black fabric on and marched as quickly as possible to the bathroom where Alan now stood. He stopped in the doorway and met the brunet's eyes in the mirror.

"Alan, what happened? Did I..." he swallowed hard, hands shaking, "...did I bite you?"

“Don’t act like you don’t know what you did!” Alan snapped, wincing as he pressed a wet cloth to the bite mark on his neck, and slowly, gently patting it down along the other bite marks upon his shoulder. The first one was quite deep, and was the most painful. It was also the one that he was having troubles with stopping the blood flow.  “You know exactly what you were doing!”

William flinched at the accusation and stared dumbly back at Alan. He could not grasp what the brunet was saying and took a hesitant step forward.

"Alan, I...I do not understand, what is going on? Are you saying I did this to you? Please, I remember doing nothing of the sort," Will pleaded as took another step forward.

“Of course you did! Who else could have? It certainly wasn’t myself.” Alan snapped, rinsing the blood out of the cloth and moving to press it to the deeper mark, again, applying pressure to try to get it to stop bleeding.

"Let me have a look at it, Alan. It may need sutures," Will said as he stepped behind the smaller reaper. He still didn't understand what was happening, but right now, Alan needed to be looked after; if he would allow him to do so that is. If he indeed did bite the brunet; why? He shook the thought from his mind and touched Alan's shoulder.

"Please allow me to have a better look?" he asked.

Alan hesitated; as if afraid he’d be bitten again. But he lowered the cloth and tilted his head.

William adjusted his glasses and then peered down at the wound. Gently, he pressed around it, looking for tenderness or infection. He found none and breathed a small sigh of relief.

"It looks as though it is a clean bite and with some salve, shall heal nicely. However, you will need a couple of stitches to close it. I have a kit in the Master Bath. Keep the towel pressed to it and let us make our way to the Master Suit. I will see to it myself," he instructed as he looked Alan in the eyes, via the mirror.

“…Apologize first.” Alan said, not budging from his spot. “I want to hear that you won’t bite me again. I don’t know what kind of kinks you are secretly into, but I do not enjoy pain—I have enough of that from my illness!”

"I do not remember doing anything of that nature; and there is no time for debates. You need that wound closed," William replied.

He didn't wish to frighten Alan any further, but without warning he swooped the brunet up and into his arms, heading out into the hall and towards the Master Suit.

“William! Put me down!” Alan had a lot of patients, but right now, they were wearing thin. Very thin. Thin enough for him to consider leaving to spend the night on Eric’s couch.

"When I have you sat upon the bed. Then I shall put you down and retrieve my first aid kit. I am not going to hurt you... again," William replied and continued on his way.

Once inside the Master Suit, he sat the brunet down upon the soft comforter, nearest the Master Bath; and grabbed the small kit from within the linen cabinet, just inside the bathroom door. His hands shook slightly as he tore open the leather case and pulled out the suture kit.

"I will be as gentle as possible, though I have never stitched up anyone before. I promise, however, I do not mean to cause you anymore duress."

Alan didn’t respond, or look at William. He simply waited for William to start stitching him up. Though he did wonder if William could handle using the needle. He wasn’t so great being on the receiving end of one, after all.

William first slipped the provided gloves onto his hands and then pulled out a cleaning wipe and began to clean around the wound. It was then that he could start to make out the severity of the bite marks. The wound was indeed made from a bite. Still, he couldn't imagine inflecting something so horrific on his lover. Not especially when he had just gotten him home from the hospital, but something had happened while they had made love and the realization William could not remember, alarmed him greatly.

"This is going to sting, Alan," he warned as he poured hydrogen peroxide solution on the gaping wound and began to clean it with a gauze sponge.

“I know.” The brunet said in a cold tone that sounded odd compared to his usual gentle voice. He flinched slightly, but didn’t protest when William began cleaning the wound.

William ignored the coolness in Alan's voice and concentrated on what he was doing. Sitting aside the peroxide and the dirty sponge, he pulled a packet from the leather bag. Inside was a pair of suture clamps and tweezers, a sewing hook and thread; and a numbing pad, to numb the suture area. It wouldn't kill all the pain, but it would take the edge off the surface. The only problem was William began to feel queasy as he held the needle hook in his hand, to thread it. Sweat gathered on his brown and his eye twitched. He felt his stomach tie into little knots and blackness threatened to overtake him. How was he ever going to do this?

“…Can you do it?” Alan asked after moments had passed and William was still just holding the needle.

"Yes," Will gulped as he continued to stare at the bite wound, "I just have never done this before and I do not wish to make a mistake. Give me a moment to steady my nerves."

“I can do it myself with the aid of a mirror.” Alan suggested.

"No. I do not believe you can, Alan. Let me do this," Will countered. He took another deep breath. "Please hold still."

“…Why did you do it?” Alan asked, looking away and waiting once again.

"I do not recall biting you, Alan."

William looked at the brunet from the corner of his eye, before he pierced the brunet's skin with the hook. He nearly jumped back when Alan flinched.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concerned that he had hurt Alan more so than he intended.

“That doesn’t mean you didn’t!” Alan snapped, “And no, I’m not alright! –You bit me and won’t even apologize for it or reassure me you won’t do it again! You just claim you don’t recall doing it – that's not an answer, William.”

"I was asking in regards to piercing your flesh with the hook, but as for apologizing..." Will sighed and closed his eyes momentarily. When he opened them, he met the brunet's angry gaze. "I do apologize, though I am unaware of biting you. I cannot grasp the notion I would ever do such a devilish thing. Alan, I swear to you, I cannot remember violating you so violently."  
  
“I’m fine with needles, I’m not fine with teeth digging into my skin as if I’m dinner! That is not how I wanted our evening to go, and you ruined it. After I’m stitched up I’m taking Clover out for a walk around the block—alone. I need time to cool down. It’s surprising me how angry I am with you right now.”

Reluctantly, William nodded and continued to stitch his lover. His thoughts distracted him and before he realized it, he had stitched the brunet closed.

He looked down at his blood covered gloves and then proceeded to remove them. Blood had once more dribbled down the brunet's chest and arm, so William motioned for Alan to stay put while he sought out a wash cloth. With a bowl of warm water and clean cloth he began to clean Alan's body.

"I am at a loss on what to say or to do. I will give you your space; however I hope you will understand my position. I have not a clue what has happened. I apologize for ruining your night. It seems as of late... No. You do not wish to hear any further apologies. I will clean up here. Take your leave, if you must. I will prepare tea and have it waiting upon your return."

Alan gave a curt nod and got up, walking over to the wardrobe to dress himself in fresh clothes. He moved carefully when slipping into his shirt and jacket, so as not to pop a stitch or two. Then he retrieved Clover’s leash and linked it with the excited pup’s collar, leading him out the door and down the sidewalk at a slow pace.

He sighed as he walked, breathing in the crisp, clean air.

What had happened? Why had William done such a thing to him, and why didn’t he remember it only seconds after they both climaxed? It was frightening, and he didn’t like it. No doubt there was something going on with the man apart from his overprotective tendencies, and Alan waned to know what.

“Oh, Clover… You wouldn’t happen to know what’s going on with him…would you?” he sighed.

The dog looked up with him, head cocked to the side and tail wagging.

“No idea, hu?”

* * *

**To be continued...**


	30. Chapter 30

Hands slammed down on the bathroom sink on either side of the porcelain fixture, sounding like thunder echoing across a darkened sky. The force sent cracks spider-webbing out from the impact as Lily leaned forward, glaring into her own reflection in the mirror. What had gone wrong? All her careful planning and plotting, and still she had not tasted the sweet nectar that was her revenge.

Grell, the obnoxious redhead, was close. A little more pushing and he'd fully crack; and that would be a lovely sight to see, indeed. He had such a violent streak already; he could turn against those who loved him. The ones who cared for him, who foolishly tried to help him. He wasn't the one she was worried about, though.

William T. Spears was the one that had her seething. He should have already been fully turned by now! He'd gotten no treatment for their recent encounters and it had been far longer than usual for one to be transformed! Something was holding him back. Something was keeping him from falling into his own sinful pit of despair.

But  _what_? What could  _possibly_  be keeping the demonic taint at bay?

Lily turned from the creaking sink and spied a jar of bath mineral oils on the side of the tub. In a fit of rage, she grabbed the jar and slung it with all her might. It hit the glass mirror she had just been staring into a moment ago; causing it and the jar to shatter into millions of tiny fragments. The sweet fragrance, from the bath oil, filled her lungs as she took a plunging breath and screamed.

"Why aren't you changing, you disgusting excuse for a 'God'?"

She snatched up a towel from the rack hanging to the side of the sink and began to twist it in her hands as she paced back and forth before the commode.

"I have visited you twice now, sunk my teeth into your flesh, kissed your repulsive lips; and yet you remain untainted and unmarred. How? What in Hell's burning pits am I missing?"

Her eyes widened; she stopped dead in her track as the realization hit her. Alan! It was Alan. He was William's cure, his anchor. The 'kind-hearted' little reaper was always there to comfort him, to scold him, to snap him out of it and back him away from that final step into Hell.

"Oh Alan, if only you had not interfered. Perhaps I might have let you live. But now..." she frowned into one of the broken shards of mirror. "I had grown somewhat fond of you, too. I had only planned to play with you a little more and now... now I am going to have to kill you...in front of him. The emotion he will feel when he watches your life force bleed will be all the push he needs to finish him. And when he no longer is one of your kind, he will be cast asunder and into my hands forever."

"But you won't die," she giggled, "No. You will live in his memories. Just as my lover was taken from me, so shall his."

Her lips curved upwards, a wicked smile replacing her sarcastic and false frown. She had a new plan, one that would drive the soul reaping pest into the lake of eternal fire. His torture; her revenge. She turned from the destroyed sink and headed into her borrowed boudoir, plotting a trap to ensnare her new pet.

 

* * *

 

Alan let himself back into his and William’s house and took Clover off his leash. The pup was tired from all his exploring and running around at the park where Alan took pause and let him play. The dog flopped onto the floor in the sitting room, his tail wagging as he closed his eyes.

With a sigh, Alan hung up his jacket and kicked off his shoes, setting them neatly in their place next to William’s. He then quietly walked further into the house and into the kitchen. His socked feet making not a sound on the polished floor.

With a sigh, he made himself up a cup of hot coco and sat down at the table to drink it. His neck and shoulder still hurt, constantly reminding him why he was so upset. But it also helped him realize what he had to do.

 

* * *

 

The chords of a pain-filled melody flitted from the room down the hall as William's fingers drifted over the ivory keys of his grand piano. Tears had gathered in the corners of his eyes and against his will they began to stream down his cheeks. He had fixed a pot of tea as he waited for Alan to return, but as he poured a cup and wandered into his sanctuary, he stopped and stood before the mirrors that reflected more than light. The man looking back at him was a monster. He had hurt Alan once more and he didn't understand how. He was being consumed by a fire. For the first time in his life, he felt as though he was losing control. The once composed manager was slowly being erased and replaced by a creature of chaos.

Angry with himself he had slammed his fist into one panel of mirror. The impact had splintered the glass, but it did not shatter. Pieces of reflective glass had cut his hand and as he played his mournful tune, blood dripped from his torn flesh painting the keys crimson.

Devoured by pain and regret, he was unaware that Alan had returned home and now sat alone in the kitchen. The music pouring from the piano was his heart bleeding; his soul crying.

What was happening to him? He needed to know... before it was too late.

 

* * *

 

After Alan finished his drink, he finally got up and followed the music to the door of the music room. He watched William for a moment at a distance before clearing his throat; “William? I think…we need to talk.”

William's hands stilled at the sound of Alan's voice. He opened his red stained eyes and shifted in his seat to look at his lover.

"Alan?" he whispered, his gut twisting.

“William…” Alan sighed and sat down on a bench near the door, “We can’t keep going like this.” He said apologetically, “ _I_  can’t keep going like this with you. I have no idea what has been going on with you, but you need help. You have been doing things and then forgetting about doing them, you have been thinking you did something that you haven’t…and you have been acting so—unlike you. Unprovoked violence, biting, hurting…trying to press on when I tell you ‘not now’. Something’s wrong and you need to get help for it. And I’m sorry, but…” He looked tearfully up at William, “At this point if you refuse to get help, I’m leaving.”

William's head fell and he raised his hands to cover his face. The wounds on his hand now visible. He sobbed and his body shook. He had never broken down before another in such a manner. He could only remember one other time where he had shed tears before dating Alan; and that was the day of his final exam when he was attacked by the records of his first reap. He knew he needed help. He knew he could not lose Alan, but how? What was going on with him? Why was everything falling apart?

"Alan, please... help me," he murmured.

“If I do, you have to let me.” Alan said, getting up, “I don’t want to leave you, William, I really don’t but if this continues as it has been, I can’t stay.” He approached will and sat down next to him, taking his bleeding hand in his own to examine it without a word about it, “Start with going to talk to a psychologist at the Reaper Hospital, “Set up a weekly meeting with him or her and let him or her do their job with you. –This needs to be cleaned, come on.”

"I do not understand what is happening," William whispered as he stood and followed Alan out of the music room.

"I feel as though I am losing my mind. I do not want to hurt you. I do not want to lose you, I can't. I have finally found a purpose. Someone to love and to share my life with. Why is this happening? Why now?"

“It could be stress.” Alan suggested, “We won’t know until you get evaluated by a professional. But you have had your normal work load, this demon investigation and the damage caused by the demon, plus…” Alan paused with a frown, “You have been worrying about my health since the beginning of all this.”

William adjusted his glasses with his good hand and cleared his throat. As best as he could, he straightened his spine as he continued to follow Alan up the stairs. His fist was beginning to clot and less blood was seeping out, but the cut was deep and he wondered if he was going to need stitches this night.

"Alan, I will make an appointment first thing on the morrow. I make one request. Will you attend with me? I need you by my side."

Alan nodded, “I told you I would stay with you if you get help. If you want me there then I will be. Sit.” Alan got out the first aid kit and frowned, “We need to get more first aid supplies…we’re low on everything.” He mentioned as he readied a clean cloth to use on the cut hand of his lover, “For now…this may sting.”

It did sting and William hissed as he took in his breath. His other hand clutched the bed covers as he tried to remain still for Alan. Why had he been so frustrated and hit the mirror? Why were his emotions so out of control?

"Yes, I would feel more comfortable knowing you were there with me. I have never visited a shrink before. I've never had a need to. I am deeply troubled by my behavior as of late.

“We’ll see what he says about it.” Alan muttered, examining the cut, “It won’t need stitches, but until it heals, be careful not to rip it open again.” He said, applying a salve and wrapping it with a bandage. When he was done he pressed a light kiss over the injury, “Maybe we’ll have to take that vacation sooner than planned to get you better relaxed and away from stress.”

"May I kiss you?" William asked as he cupped Alan's cheek with his good hand. "I do not want you to become frightened of me. I promise, just a kiss."

“For as long as I am yours…you may always kiss or embrace me, William. It’s going further that needs permission—from the both of us.”

William nodded, "I understand."

Gently he drew the small brunet towards him, his eyes closing. Softly their mouths met and he kissed his lover with tenderness.

"Alan," he murmured against the brunet's lips, "I am truly... sorry."

“I know.” Alan whispered back, leaning in against his lover, “That’s why I can give you this last chance. To see you get help for whatever this is… I love you, William, and I want to see you get better again.”

William's hands trembled as they reached around and clung to Alan's back. He stared up into the brunet's gentle gaze and licked his lips. His mouth felt dry and his heart thumped hard within his chest.

"I'm scared," he confessed.

Alan hugged William tighter to him, closing his eyes and saying a little prayer in his heart that whatever was happening would stop and that they could be happy together, again.

“I am too, William… I’m scared, too.”

 

* * *

 

 

"Alan, we have just thirty minutes to arrive at Doctor Mason's office and I cannot find my gloves, nor the tie I laid out last night," William hollered to the small brunet, still occupying the master bath. "Have you any clue as to where I set them?"

“Working yourself into a panic won’t help, William.” Alan called through the door as he rinsed off his face and dried it before replacing his glasses on his face, “You didn’t lay your gloves out, you put them in your coat pocket. And you changed your mind twenty times last night on a tie and ended up hanging them all back in the wardrobe.” He fixed his bola tie and walked out of the bathroom.

“However, your socks are there on the floor still folded together.”

William looked down at the floor alongside the master bed and sighed. He was nervous and his brain was non-functioning. He nodded to his lover and collected the socks first.

"I cannot stand the idea of being late, but I am out of sorts this morning. I nearly lost my breakfast. I do not recall ever being this nervous before. Not even our first date had me spinning this terrible. I even keep fogging up my glasses," he explained as he sat on the edge of the mattress and proceeded to place his socks upon his feet.

Alan grabbed William’s shoes and a tie, taking them over to his lover, “Just breathe.” He suggested, “This is hardly any different from the annual mental and physical health check all dispatch agents must undergo…only this time you set it up rather than being required to go.” He said, tying William’s tie for him. After all, a black tie was a black tie. The man didn’t have any other colors.

"This is different, Alan. I am not seeing the doctor to find out whether or not I am still fit to work. I am seeing the doctor, because I know I am not fit to be near my lover."

William's shoulders collapsed and they drooped; causing his head to fall and hang defeated. He was worn with worry and he felt like he had failed for the first time in his life.

He closed his eyes and let out the tiniest of breathes.

"I am not well," he murmured.

“No,” Alan agreed with him, “But you are willing to get the help I requested of you. That’s the first step to getting better. Chin up. I can’t see what I’m doing.”

Slowly, William raised his head. He gazed up into Alan's face and watched his expressions as he adjusted and tied his neck tie. He was efficient and swift, and William felt blessed to have this chance; but on inside his gut twisted once more and he felt dizzy and nauseous. Sweat surfaced on his brow and he could swear the room had grown quite warm.

"I feel quite ill at the moment, Alan. I think it best if I excuse myself for a moment and adjourn to the latrine. I am afraid breakfast is marching in the wrong direction."

Alan nodded and stepped back to give the man space, “I’ll be with you.” He reminded the man as he rushed to the bathroom, “I won’t leave the room unless you ask me to.”

William dropped to his knees before the commode and grasped the sides of the polished porcelain.

"I am sorry you must see me like this, my apologies," he uttered softly, and then breakfast won the battle.

“You’re just nervous.” Alan said, walking in and rubbing his back, “I’ll get you a glass of water, and we’ll go once you are ready.”

William grabbed a towel from the back of the commode and wiped his mouth before he replied, "I have never let nerves best me as such. This is down right humiliating to be tossing my breakfast before you."

“And you have seen me at my weakest during a Thorns attack.” Alan reminded him, “I’m here for you, even when your nerves get the best of you.”

"I do not wish you to think me weak. It is bad enough I fainted that time in front of you when you stitched me up. Another time that was humiliating," Will groaned as he sat back again the tub. "How can I take care of you, if I am weak when you need me?"

“Why would I think you weak?” Alan asked, stooping down next to him, “William, we talked about this. We take care of each other.”

William lifted his eyes to meet Alan's. They glistened with a hint of tears in them, but he shed none. His hand shook as he reached out and touched the brunet's cheek, gently.

"I cannot help but feel as though I should be the one taking care of you. I know we have discussed it before, but I fear losing you. At this moment, I am weak and I require your help. I do not believe it is fair to you after all you have been through. I am not trying to stir trouble up, I am just being honest," William softly explained, "I want to be strong for you."

“And you can be. But I want to be strong for you, William.” Alan leaned in and kissed his forehead, “I’m not weak all the time.”

"I know," William whispered back. "Thank you for being here for me. Thank you for loving me and..."

He looked down at his tie and then back up at Alan and smiled, "And thank you for finding my tie."

Alan offered him a smile and took his hand, “Come on, we don’t want to be late.” He helped pull the man to his feet.

"Yes, that would be unseemly of us, if we were," William replied, then asked as he straightened his suit jacket, "May I inquire if I look quite right?"

Alan paused and stepped back to take a look. He grabbed a comb and ran it through the man’s hair before speaking. “As sharp and professional as ever.”

William smiled and sat back down upon the bed to put his shoes on. He would grab his gloves and outer coat when they were on their way out. For now, just deep breaths and light conversation was all he needed while he tied his laces.

"Should we have a light lunch afterwards? We could make a stop at a bistro in the mortal realm."

“I…” Alan’s cheeks flushed, “I was going to surprise you…but I made us reservations for lunch.”

"Did you now?" William smiled as he adjusted his glasses. "Is it a surprise or may I ask where we are to take our lunch?"

“I’ll leave that part a surprise.” Alan smiled, pulling on his warmer jacket and buttoning it up.

"Alright I shall plague you with no further questions about lunch. Are we all set to leave then?" William asked looking about the room, making sure he had forgotten nothing else.

“Only if you have your wallet and keys.” Alan nodded. He had his wallet and house keys as well, but they never knew when such things would be needed.

"I have my wallet," William answered as they headed for the stairs, "and my keys are near the door as they should be."

“Alright, then lets get going.” Alan encouraged.

 

* * *

 

After a brisk walk in the chill morning air; William and Alan found themselves sitting in the office of Doctor Caroline Mason. Not twenty minutes had passed since they had left the warmth of their cozy home and arrived in time to William's appointment. The receptionist had immediately escorted them to the private office where they sat waiting for the charming and esteemed doctor to see them. William's hands were sweaty and he wrung them nervously in his lap. He swallowed hard and glanced at the brunet sitting next to him. The smile that greeted him softened the nerves that were a constant unsettling storm within his belly. Never before had he seen the doctor outside of standard visits for his job and he wondered what she might make of his desperate need to see her on this chilly, winter morning.

"Alan, I don't think I ca-"

William began to speak when a knock sounded at the door behind the two lovers, their heads turning instantly at the sound. The mahogany door to the office, which until now had been closed, slowly began to swing open. A kind smile matching the bright eyes of the calm doctor met them first.

Doctor Mason was not a shrewd doctor, instead she preferred to make her clients and patients feel welcome; to feel as though they were in the sanctuary of their own homes. She felt it was better for all involved to be as relaxed as possible. Smiles were always how she greeted those who sought her services, followed by a warm greeting. She offered tea and biscuits, though most who came to see her were far too nervous to accept her hospitality. She was of moderate height and had hair the color of Auburn; a redhead. Her color was mute compared to those like Grell Sutcliff and often time, she was mistaken for a brunet. Her face was spotted with freckles and her glasses were round with Sapphire frames. She wore her hair up in a loose bun with ringlets dancing in all directions and beneath her clinical white coat, standard of most doctors, she wore a white blouse buttoned to her throat with a lace trim. Her pleated skirt was navy blue and she wore black wedges on her feet with tiny straps around her ankles.

In her hands was William's file that she had pulled. He was not a regular or on going patient and therefore she had had to pull it from the record room when he made his appointment earlier that morning. She was deeply surprised that the longtime manager had finally come in for something other than his yearly evaluation. Still, something must be upsetting him for him to see her so suddenly.

When she finally reached the couple she paused before them and extended her hand. Her smile seemed to grow even more brighter and her eyes seemed to sparkle as she welcomed the two reapers.

"Mister Spears and Mister Humphries how good to see you both. Though I must confess I am quite surprised by the sudden visit. I trust for the most part, all is well with you both?"

It was obvious it was more of a question than a statement of hope, and nervously, William shook her hand first, replying as he did so.  "I am rather afraid not, Doctor Mason, or I would not be here, of course. I wish that our meeting was for something other than why I have requested this appointment, this morning."

"I see," she frowned, "And Mister Humphries is here as moral support I take it?"

"Yes," William answered as he turned to the smaller reaper. "Alan is here also; due to the fact the situation involves him."

Stunned by the statement, she glanced at the other reaper; and as he she offered him her hand to shake, her right brow rose questionably.

"May I ask how you are involved first off, Mister Humphries?"

Alan flushed under her questioning gaze as he took her hand, “William and I…well… For some time now, we have been a couple.” He explained in a soft voice, shy but strong with purpose. “But I’m afraid the reason we are both here today is because the problem William has been having has had a negative impact on our relationship, and I felt I had no choice than to request he seek help or watch me walk out of his life. –Not to say that this is a problem with our relationship. It’s just affecting it.” He explained.

“William agreed to come here if I agreed to sit in on the sessions.” He added.

"I see, so Mister Spears, What exactly is it that you are here to see me about?" Doctor Mason inquired as she turned to take her seat behind her mahogany desk.

William took a deep breath and then answered, "I, for one, am having strange dreams, followed by lapses of memory loss. Then there is the disturbing fact, apparently, that I have bitten my partner while... while we made love. I seem to be displaying more aggression around Mister Humphries as well."

He turned to the brunet, taking his hand, before adding, "Though I am sure Mister Humphries can explain in more detail about said instances, as I seem to forget what transpires between us during those sessions."

Alan gave a small nod as he sat back down next to William, “Sometimes, he thinks things happen when they haven’t. Once I came home and he apologized for something he didn’t do, but he swore he did. Other times, like he said, he would do things such as…bite me…rather hard and ignore my pleas for him to stop, and then he’ll have no memory of it.” As he spoke, he reached up and touched where the bite mark was still stitched and bandaged under his clothes.

“He has also shown a complete lack of control at times. Animalistic in trying to take what he wants from me at random moments when I say that we should wait until we are home… And then there are times when his anger gets the better of him… I’m sure you understand how this has put strain on our relationship. I think it may be stress-induced, but I’m not an expert, nor do I know how I can help him as it keeps getting worse.”

Caroline was not completely surprised by Alan's story, she had long suspected at some point in the manager's career he would begin to break down, however, it was the lack of memory and the biting concerned her the greatest.

"And when precisely did his behavior change, Mister Humphries?" she asked, deciding it was better to ask him first rather than William; being that William seemed to not always be aware of what often times was occurring between himself and his partner. She would address him shortly about the matter, of course, after she was finished hearing Alan's point of view on the situation.

“I’m not quite sure…” Alan admitted, “I think it started shortly after a sudden rumor began at the office that William was beating and forcing himself on me…”

"A rumor?" she questioned, "An abusive rumor? And did that rumor hold any truth within in it Mister Humphries?"

She had actually heard from a fellow reaper that word was going around Dispatch that the mostly private reaper had hit the smaller brunet at work, causing his nose to bleed uncontrollably one day, but as no one had filed a formal complaint, mainly Mister Humphries, she had brushed it off as office gossip. After all, there was not much she could do unless a case was presented to her office.

“Yes, but not the violent part…” Alan glanced at William, his cheeks blushing, “The night before, we had a date that ended with us taking a walk on the beach and a little swim before going home… The rumor the next day was that while on that beach he hit me and forced me on the beach or something like that.”

She turned her eyes on the manager now and asked, "William, do you agree this is where the trouble began to manifest or do you remember a different time? I would also like to know when the dreams began."

William shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Both sets of eyes were focused on him now and the room felt overwhelmingly warm to him.

"I do agree the occurrences... that my partner is speaking of began shortly after that night. The dreams..." he swallowed, "...I believe began shortly before."

"What type of dreams are you speaking of, Mister Spears?"

"Odd. I am always searching for Alan. There is usually blood and strange voices," William explained, his grip tightening around Alan's hand. "I am filled with dread in each one."

“…You never told me that…” Alan said, blinking at William, “There was just the one time…why didn’t you say there was more?”

William's eyes slowly closed as he whispered, "I did not wish to worry you and then you fell ill once more, and were admitted to the hospital. I did not have them nightly, but there have been a few over the weeks. I considered it a side effect from the stress of the rumors triggering more after the initial dream."

Alan gave his hand a squeeze. “You were right in thinking it’d worry me…” he then looked at the doctor, “Please, help him." 

Caroline smiled warmly at the small brunet as she laid her hands flat on the top of her desk. The sound of papers crinkling slightly beneath her spread fingers. She wasn't positive as to what the answer here was; more investigating was needed to find out what was causing the changes in the typically collected reaper. Like Alan, however, she was deeply disturbed to learn of his nightmares.

"I shall do my best, Mister Humphries. Now, Mister Spears, in your dreams you say there is always strange voices... what are they like?"

William clung to his lover as he lifted his head and locked eyes with the doctor's.

"It is always Alan's voice I hear, but it is what he says or lack of what he says that I cannot comprehend. There are times he seems to caution me and other times he seems to be leading me to..." he paused and swallowed, "I do not wish to finish what I was about to say."

“It’s okay, William…you can finish. its how she can help you.” Alan gently encouraged.

"I know it is not truly you, Alan," William said turning to face his lover, "But I do not wish to make it seem as though I am blaming you for any of this and what occurs in my sleep.... things, bad things happen; and sometimes those things revolve around you."

“I know you don’t blame me. You wouldn’t have kept me around if you did.” Alan whispered.

William adjusted his glasses uncomfortably, but before he could reply, Caroline stepped in, asking, "William, do you need Mister Humphries to step out a moment or can you perhaps go on and finish what you were about to say a moment ago? I really must insist knowing what Alan leads you to in your dreams."

Alan gave a small nod of submission, “I came here to support you.” He reminded him, “But if there is anything you don’t wish for me to hear, I will be just on the other side of that door, waiting until you want me to come in again.”

"No." William breathed, his fingers gripping tighter around the brunet's hand, "I do not wish you to leave the room. It is just unspeakable what my mind has conjured. I fear if I say it aloud, it will become a reality. A reality I would like to advert."

“…My death?” Alan asked.

"No," William replied, "It never gets that far. Though you are often time hurt, injured, or on the brink of death. However, there are times... there are times where you beckon me to follow you and you lead me to my own demise. It varies, but in the end it is the same... I will lose you if I do not wake and I fear it will become a reality."

Alan didn’t know how to respond to that; only able to hold William’s hand as he glanced over at the doctor.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	31. Chapter 31

Kneeling down next to the sleeping redhead; Eric, dressed in a white tank and green and blue tartan, flannel pajama bottoms reached out and stroked the top of Grell's head. It had been nearly a week since Grell's attack at Dispatch and his fall from the thirteenth floor window. Eric had nearly quit Dispatch to care for his lover, as Grell required non stop care; not only from the recent event, but he was still struggling from the previous, despite making such headway after the trying ordeal with the mysterious creature. For two days the redhead had slept, recouping and healing, Eric never leaving his side. But on the third day, Grell finally awoke and Eric had released the biggest sigh of relief he had ever released in his reaper existence. Since then, Grell had barely left their bed, with exception to use the privy. Now, Eric loomed over the once fearless reaper and tenderly kissed his brow. His fingers combing wayward locks from the sleeping reaper's face. 

"Grell, love, time ta wake up. It's noon. I fixed ya a light lunch." he coaxed, whispering into Grell's ear.

“Mmmm…I am awake…” Grell murmured, shifting his shoulders and opening his eyes. “Not hungry.” He added, to no surprise of the Scotsman. Grell had had a very small appetite since his fall, and he often had to coax Grell into eating anything at all.

"Come on Grell, ya have ta eat somethin'. I made yer favorite soup ta, an' tea," Eric replied, still combing Grell's crimson locks. "Jus' a couple of sips of soup an' ya can come back ta bed, I promise. Or I can fix ya a bubble bath, doesn' tha' sound good? Grell, please, love. Come have some lunch with me."

“But I’m really not…I ate yesterday…” he said, shaking his head.

“Sounds like you aren’t behaving, senpai.” Ronald suddenly said from the door. He still wasn’t back at work, but he’d been discharged from the hospital and was free to move around as long as he didn’t overexert himself.

He slipped into the room and held up a red box, “I got you something, but you have to eat some soup before I give it to you!”

Eric glanced over his shoulder at the young blond and smirked, turning his attention back to Grell, "Ah, I forgot ta mention, Ron showed up here a few minutes ago. He wanted ta see how ya are doin', Grell. Seems the staff over at the hospital were tired of lookin' at him an' deemed him well enough ta go home. What do ya say, love... will ya come ta the kitchen with us an' have a bite?"

Grell’s gaze lingered on the scars on Ronald’s hands, knowing exactly that the cause of them had been the shadows. “Ronnie…” he shook his head and sighed, “Okay, I’ll try to eat.”

"Good," smiled Eric as he stood and begun to roll the covers back down and off the redhead. He turned his head slightly and looked at the blond momentarily. "Ron, could ya hand us Grell's robe? It's there on the back of the bathroom door. –Grell," he said, extending his hand. " Give me yer hand, love and I'll help ya up."

“Sure, sure.” Ronald set the box he carried down on the top of the dresser before retrieving the robe and bringing it over.

Taking the robe from the young reaper's hands, Eric tossed it around Grell's shoulders. The redhead was now sitting on the edge of the bed and Eric carefully helped him slip his arms into each sleeve. Then once more he crouched down before Grell and tied the belt snugly around his thin waist.

"Ron, could ya also hand me 'er brush? It's there, on the dresser behind ya. I want ta ge' the hair out of her face, so she'll be able to eat," he asked Ronald, who stood not far from the dresser, where he had set the red box down.

"Yer bangs have grown back, real fast, love," he smiled at the redhead.

Grell pulled his fingers through them to push them back as Ronald  grabbed the brush and handed it to Eric. Again, the scars caught Grell’s eyes and he lost it.

“Uhhg! I’m sick of this! I’m sick of hiding, of needing to be taken care of! I’m sick of the shadows haunting me and going after people I care about!” he lashed out and grabbed Ronald’s wrist, pulling him onto the bed with him so that he could look more closely at the scars.

“Grell--! What--?”               

Surprised but the sudden movement, Eric nearly fell back on his rump. Luckily he managed to maintain his balance by throwing his arms back and catching himself. Once righted and steadied, he paused to watch Grell for a moment. The redhead's words pierced his heart. He knew Grell had always been a strong and determined reaper. It must be difficult and perhaps humiliating to have his freedom taken from him. Grell was a prisoner in his own home, in his own head. Gingerly, Eric reached out and touched the redhead's knee.

"Careful love, he hasn't been out of the medical ward for long. We don' wanna send him righ' back, do we now?"

But Grell ignored him, seeming to be in a trance as he studied the scar. His head tilting to the side. “There is something there…a trace of shadow has been infused… a connection…” he muttered, bringing Ronald’s hand closer and closer.

Ronald frowned, “It’s just a scar, Grell…not even the worst one—wait, what are you—AHH!” The blond cried out as Grell suddenly sank his teeth into his hand, biting down hard with his shark-like teeth.

"Grell! Wha' are ya doin'?! Let him go!" Eric hollered in shock as he jumped up to pry the redhead from the blond.

He came up behind Grell on the bed, putting one arm around his waist. His free hand immediately grabbed the redhead's chin and squeezed forcing his jaw open, releasing his hold on Ronald.

"Shh... Grell," Eric cooed in his ear, rocking him back and forth in his arms. "Ya have scars ta, Grell. They ain't the shadows no more, just marks left behind. Look at yer wrists, Grell. Yer still one hundred percent reaper and I can vouch, Ron is all reaper ta. There is no demons."

Eric glanced at the blond, holding Grell tightly in his arms and asked, "Ya alright there, Ron?"

But Ron was shock-still. His face as white as a ghost as blood dripped down his fingers and onto the bed. Around him, a strange shadow-like aura seemed to be gathering, leaking out from the wound Grell had reopened. It wasn’t a demon itself, but the remnants of one which had once possessed him. Ronald’s eyes were blank and void of emotion.

“ _Tonight…It ends upon the stroke of twelve. The rose shall perish in shadow…_ ” a haunting voice left Ronald’s lips.

“Get it out!” Grell shrieked, “Get it out of Ronnie!”

"Wha' the ever lovin' fuck, Ron?! Wha' in the Hell are ya goin' on abou'?!" Eric shouted in horror, pulling Grell further across the bed and away from the blond. "Get a hold of yerself! Yer freakin' me out, man!"

“Get it out of him!” Grell kept shouting.

"How?!" Eric yelled back. "I don' know even wha' the fuck is goin' on!"

“Scythe it! Not Ronnie, just the shadow!” Grell shouted, falling out of the bed.

Eric swallowed hard and fell off the bed behind the redhead. He reached for Grell's arm, grabbing it, he pulled the frightened reaper to him.

"Ya wan' me ta do wha', Grell?!" he asked, wide eyed and dumbstruck. "There ain't nothin' ta scythe! Nothing! Look!"

But as Eric turned to look back at the blond, stock still on their bed, a great shadow seemed to gather around the whole of Ronald's body as if a black blanket was being wrapped around the fragile reaper.

"Holy fuck!" Eric exclaimed as he struggled to get to his feet, pulling Grell up with him. "Shite! Ron!"

“KILL IT! KILL IT!” Grell screamed, “KILL IT OR I WILL!”

The shadow, and Ronald’s body with it, hovered in the air before stretching out towards the two reapers.

"And how da ya expect me ta do tha' without killin' Ron, Grell?" asked Eric, perturbed. "Look at him! He's shrouded in tha' thing!"

“THAT THING NEARLY KILLED HIM ONCE BEFORE!” Grell pointed out, “IT COULD KILL HIM THIS TIME IF YOU DON’T TRY!”

“ _Prophecy…prophecy_ …” Ronald’s haunting voice echoed in the room as if he was in a dimension all his own, “ _One will die, the other will fall, and all that will be left, is the little red doll_ …”

Ronald’s lips cracked into a sinister smile, the corners of his mouth ripping and dripping blood which swirled around in the shadowy shroud.

Eric turned his gaze on the redhead, his eyes falling instantly on the pendant that hung around Grell's neck.

"Isn't tha' thing suppose ta repel demons an' yer shadow fiends? I mean th' is wha' tha' Lily girl said, righ'?" Eric asked as he touched the bright, shiny ruby with the tips of his trembling fingers. "So, why is tha' thing not helpin' us righ' now?"

Grell gasped and looked down. Making up his mind, he ripped it from his shirt and threw it at Ronald. It stuck in the shadow surrounding the blond and suddenly every shadow in the room seemed to bend and stretch towards Ronald.

"Why'd ya go an' do tha' for, Grell?!" shouted Eric as he watched the shadows start to peel from the walls of their bedroom. "I don' get it, wha's goin' - Grell watch out!"

Eric threw himself at the redhead knocking him back onto the floor. In an attempt to protect Grell, Eric covered the redhead's body with his own just as a shadow swept down towards them. It screeched like the haunting and deadly sound of a banshee as it flew directly over the top of them.

“I thought…it’d get the thing off Ronnie!” Grell admitted, eyes wide, “Eric—your scythe!”

"But, Ron?!" Eric responded, wide-eyed and unsure as he leaned back next to Grell. The darkness around Ronald continued to grow larger and larger as more shadows gathered around the blond, who was slowly fading into the abyss surrounding him.

"Of course not! He's like a brother to me!" Grell snapped, "I can't summon my scythe so you have to!"

"I know ya canna summon yer scythe, bu' I need ya ta be ready ta catch him when I slice through tha' satanic shite! Do ya understand?! I need ya ta not be afraid ta get up an' get close ta tha' Hell cloud!"

Grell swallowed, glancing over at Ronald. He had to do this…he knew he did. He had to beat his fear at some point, and now would be ideal…for Ronnie’s sake.

The redhead squeezed his eyes closed and nodded, “I—I can do this.”

"Are ya sure, love?" whispered the older reaper, summoning his scythe. "I won' be leavin' ya, Grell, but Ron is not over the bed any longer an' I don' wan' him ta hit the ground. So jus' be ready on the count of three, alrigh'?"

Grell nodded again, “Just—just do it.” He said, forcing his attention on Ronald and not what he was trapped in.

Eric put on his battle face and began to count down, "One. Two... Three!"

With a mighty roar he launched himself at the cloud of darkness and slashed at it, doing his best not to strike his former lover. The shadows screamed and screeched in agony as his scythe cut through their grasp. Some grew angry and let their hold on the blond go to attack Eric, but he swatted them down like flies. Another seemed to head straight for Grell, but before it could touch the frightened redhead, Eric saw it and cut off its advance.

"Grell, ya alrigh'?" he asked making sure his lover had not been injured.

Grell ignored him and kept his eyes on Ronald. Not enough… it wasn’t yet enough to free Ronnie!

Growling, Grell  hunched back and sprung forward to attempt to tackle Ronald out of the shadows. But the shadows evaded him, taking Ronald with them.

"No!" Eric hollered as he watched the redhead lunge at the shadows. His first thought was that the shadows would engulf Grell the same way they had engulfed Ronald. Though he grew more horrified when they did not snatch up the redhead and instead, moved, leaving Grell to fall hard to the ground. Again, concerned for Grell's safety, Eric moved as quickly as he could to his lover's side and helped him back to his feet.

"Why'd ya go an' do a silly thing like tha', Grell? Ya could have been swallowed up alongside Ron, there. An' then wha' would I do?" Eric whispered softly as he closed his eyes and kissed the side of Grell's head.

He hated the next idea that formed in his head. He hadn't made Grell aware of one thing in his house. He had been too worried that if Grell were to find out what was stashed in his kitchen, he might harm himself and so Eric had chosen to keep quiet. But now, now he needed Grell's help. He needed the aid of another reaper to free their friend or else Ronald would be taken from them, in some form or another; and so taking a deep breath he turned the redhead to face him and looked deep into his lover's eyes.

"Can ya go ta the kitchen, Grell? I have a scythe hidden there. I think this thing is goin' ta need the two of us workin' together, ta free Ron," Eric asked and then glanced, briefly, at the shadow. "Look in the drawer farthest from the stove. Ya'll find a very large carvin' knife in it. Bring the knife back in here, it's a scythe, one ya can use ta help me. Can ya do tha' fer me, Grell? Can ya help me, love?"

"You need to be more focused on Ronald. I didn't get swallowed so I'm fine!" Grell snapped, pushing away from Eric and running for the door to get to the kitchen.

"Grell?!" Eric hollered; but it was to late, the redhead was already out of the room and Eric was left standing, feeling dejected by the coldness of his lover's words. He was concerned for Ronald and he was doing his damndest to save his former lover, but Grell was equally if not more important to him these days. The redhead had been through a worse hell than Ronald and at this moment, he felt cut by Grell's snapping response to his concern. But rather than dwell, he turned his focus back over to the danger looming in his and Grell's bedroom.

"We'll get ya out of there, Ron. Jus' hang a bit longer," he vowed as he let out a great roar and slashed at another shadow, peeling from the walls. "Ya damn demon an' yer damn minions. I'm goin' ta cut ya ta tiny pieces if I get my hands on ya."

The shadowy forms around Ronald laughed, "Have ye lost thy way, Reaper of the Highlands? Join us and we'll help you get what you long for." Ronald's hand stretched out towards him, palm up in offering.

"I have exactly wha' I want here. I don' need nothin' ya can offer," Eric retorted, lip curling in disgust. "An' if ya don' let Ron go, I'm gonna-"

Eric's words were cut off by a great bellowing laugh that emerged from within the bundle of shadows and he stepped back in shock as they began to shift and change form.

"Wha' the livin' fuck are they doin' now," he questioned under his breath.

He glanced at the door to the room and whispered, "Grell, love, I need ya. Be careful, bu' hurry back, now, before this thing gets further out of control."

"This one still holds you in his heart." The echo of a voice laughed, "The pain...it opens him to us. Oh how we feed. The room grew darker, light being swallowed by the shadows.

"Grell, I need ya!" Eric hollered as loud as he could.

The situation was growing direr by the moment. What was going on? How was it the shadows were flocking to their room? So many questions and no time to figure out the answers. Eric held his scythe out in front of him, in defense.

The darkness closed in, snuffing out every trace of light from Eric's vision. The air growing heavy with a poisonous fog that stole his breath. Laughter. He could hear laughter growing louder and louder as the feeling of falling from a great height gripped his body. Down, down, until suddenly…

Light. A blinding slash of white light appearing in the darkness. The laughter turning into shrieks, and the floor reappearing under him. Another slash of light, and the air started to clear, leaving him light-headed.

A third, and then a forurth. With every slash, the shadows seemed to die until none was left but the unconscious form of Ronald dropping to the ground at Grell's feet. The redhead holding the scythe knife in clenched fist.

Eric, now on the ground himself, looked up. His vision was blurry from the effects cast by the shadows, but he quickly recognized the outline of Grell's body. With a grunt he forced himself up and ran to the redhead. He didn't stop moving until he held Grell within his arms and breathed in his scent.

"I thought I was goin' ta lose ya," he whispered.

"Me?" Grell snapped, "It was after _you_ if you didn't notice! You and Ronnie!"

"Aye, ya." Eric replied, cupping Grell's cheek and locking eyes with him. "It may have been comin' after I, bu' tha' means I would have lost ya jus' the same. I love ya, Grell Sutcliff an' I don' wan' nothin' ta part us."

"Then you had better go make sure Ronnie's alive! I’ll call for a medical team." Grell said, going for the mobile phone in Eric's pocket.

"Aye," Eric nodded and pecked the redhead on the lips before turning and kneeling next to the junior officer.

He reached out and placed his fingers against Ronald's throat. There was a pulse, but it was faint and slow. He would survive, but there was no telling what the demonic shadows had done to him.

"He's alive, bu' his pulse is very weak. I don' know what those creatures have done ta him, bu' he is barely breathin'. I think he's slipped inta a reaper's sleep."

"Get him on the bed! He looks so broken on the floor like that--yes hello, we have an emergency! --No not with me, it's with Ronnie, you big dumb receptionists!" Grell snapped, sounding much more like himself as he ever had since the first attack on him. "Shadowy-demons possessed and engulfed him, but I cut him out!--No, he isn't moving. --Barely. --Yes, that's right--look, just send someone out here! Ronnie's like my baby brother here! There will be hell to pay should I lose him because you are too slow at your job!"

Carefully, Eric did as he was bode and picked Ronald up, laying him gingerly on the bed. There was a small cut on his right cheek, bleeding. Without delay, Eric grabbed a clean washcloth from the bath room and pressed it to the wound.

Grell sighed and hung up, sitting on the edge of the bed. "…This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been so…afraid." He muttered, playing with a lock of Ronald's hair.

"Don' ya go sayin' such rubbish. Ya done do nothin' ta Ron. Ya have been through a lot, Grell," Eric soothingly spoke as he sat down next to the redhead. Lovingly, he swiped a loose red lock back behind the redhead's ear. "Ya have every righ' ta be afraid. Wha' was done ta ya, it was... well I wish I could have protected ya from tha' thing."

The light caught the ruby laying on the bed next to Ronald's body and Eric picked it up and began to examine it.

"I don' get it. Miss Downs said this thing was ta protect ya from the shadows. Huh... Maybe she jus' said tha' ta try an' make ya feel better. I never believed in charms anyway," he shrugged tossing it into the garbage can next to the bed.

"I think…after we know if Ronnie's going to be okay…that we go talk to Will about this." Grell muttered.

"Grell," Eric whispered, cupping the side of Grell's head, "Perhaps tonigh', we should stay at an inn or somethin'. Like a retreat from all this dark shite. We'll talk to Spears tomorrow, first light,  an' sort out all this chaos. He needs ta know we were attacked in our own home, but I wan' ta make sure yer taken' care of first; an' tha' ya get some rest."

Grell shook his head, "Will's been a target, too. The shadows may target him again soon and he needs to be warned."

"If I take ya ta see Spears this afternoon, after we see Ron ta hospital, will ya let me take ya ta an inn an' see ta yer well bein'?" Eric asked, his eyes searching the redhead's.

Grell nodded, "Yes. If we go see Will, then I'll behave for you."

"Good," Eric breathed as he put his hand on the back Grell's head and drew him close. "We'll see the boss an' then it's off ta somewhere safe fer the nigh'." 

* * *

**To be continued...**


	32. Chapter 32

Towards the end of William's session, Alan ended up suffering a minor attack and had to leave to rest and recoup so that they could still go out to eat as planned. William had been worried and had wanted to go with Alan, of course, but Alan managed to convince his lover to stay and finish his session. William didn't like finishing it without Alan by his side, but he agreed with the promise that they'd meet for their lunch date afterwards at the restaurant.

After lying down in bed for an hour, Alan felt much better and he got redressed before leaving to meet William. The restaurant was only a few blocks from Doctor Mason's office, so Alan knew William would get there first and would be waiting for him. So, to reassure him that he was on his way, he had called Doctor Mason's office before he left so that they could let Will know he was on his way.

Alan slipped his hands in his pockets as he walk down the street, a small smile on his face. He had a good feeling that that day had already started to fix whatever problem had been causing rifts in his and William's lives.

From the shadows, a lone pair of glowing red eyes watched the brunet as he made his way down the street. It was an eerie reminiscent scene as Lily followed the brunet from his and William's home. She couldn't care less where he was headed, the important thing was he was alone and the opportunity was prime. She had been patient all these weeks, but her frustration with William and Grell had grown to new heights and from the depths of her deprived mind she bore a new plan. One that would destroy the Head of Dispatch and cast him into a Hell from which there was no escape. He had yet to turn, but after this night his anger would be the final push and her revenge would be nearly complete. On the morrow, William T. Spears, grim reaper, would no longer be and Grell would be next.

"I am deeply sorry, my dear Mister Humphries. You might have escaped my revenge had you not fallen for the man who helped kill my mate. After tonight he will sink into madness and your soul will be my feast," she whispered to herself, before calling her minions to her aid.

"That one, cease him," she ordered the shadows that had gathered around her, pointing directly at the unsuspecting brunet.

 

* * *

 

 

William sat, watching a flock of pigeons as they flew over head. The day was bright and beautiful. A tiny breeze tickled his ear and he smiled imagining it was Alan whispering to him. This day was a new beginning for them. The start of a new future.

The morning had started out as an anxious whirlwind, but quickly settled into a comfortable progression. A slight interruption when Alan's attack had occurred, but William was glad he stayed with Doctor Mason, as Alan had requested. The session had proven to be very encouraging. But before leaving the doctor's office, he received a message, saying, that Alan was on his way to their lunch date; and so William had quickly made his way to the French restaurant Alan had made reservations at. William smiled when he recognized the name on the missive. It was the restaurant they had dinner at on their first date.

Upon his arrival, William secured a table for two on the patio near one of the lovely fountains. A private spot away from the other diners, where Alan and himself, could discuss the happenings of his therapy session after Alan's departure. He had been assured that Alan's episode was minor and just a call for rest, so seeing his lover would alleviate the tiny bit of fear he had felt when the episode struck the small brunet. Doctor Mason had been a great help. With her encouragement, Will felt confident enough in allowing Alan to return home for some rest on his own. It was a challenge for William to relinquish control but it was a step in the right direction. Will needed to trust his partner. He knew that if Alan had needed him, he would have requested assistance.

Unfortunately, the peace he was enjoying was destroyed by the sudden ringing of his cell phone in his breast pocket. The annoying tone belonged to none other than Eric Slingby, which meant only trouble. Cocking his brow in annoyance, William clicked the answer button.

"There had better be a damned good reason you are calling me, Slingby. I requested the day off for personal reasons and do not apprec-"

"Put a pipe in it Boss, somethin's happened," Eric cut in, curtly. "Somethin' real bad's gone down. Knox's in the hospital an' Grell an' I are in yer office, lookin' fer ya."

Surprised by the tone Eric was using, William swallowed the scolding he had been about to unleash upon the Scotsman. There was definitely something wrong. Eric never talked down to him in such a manner. Never in all the years they had worked together, had Eric seemed so worked up.

"Alright, tell me; what is going on."

Eric combed his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. He looked Grell straight in the eye. He was about to tell their boss the unthinkable had happened. That a demon had found away into their realm. This time there was no doubt, Grell's attack at dispatch had been from a demon; and most likely, it was the same demon that had attacked him and Spears in the mortal realm, that night.

"We were attacked in my house. A shadow, or somethin' possessed Ron. He started speakin' prophetically an' ta float in the air. Shadows started ta jus' appear from everywhere, consuming the kid. They attacked, Grell an' I. Took more than one scythe ta defeat them.

"We're safe now," he exhaled, touching the redhead's cheek. "We got Ron ta hospital. Grell an' I wanted ta warn ya an' Al. Let ya know, somehow, a demon's here. Don' know how it's possible, but there is. I've got Dispatch on alert."

"That cannot be," William replied, stunned by the news. "There are barriers to prevent them. Demons cannot just waltz into this realm."

"Well, I hate ta burst yer bubble, Boss, but this wasn't no hallucination. Those damned shadows were demonic in nature," Eric countered, with annoyance. "My gut says they were sent by the demon who attacked ya an' Grell. Also sent Ron ta the hospital before."

He knew their boss wasn't going to want to accept such a claim, but it was the truth and Spears needed to swallow that bitter pill, and fast.

"It's here, Boss," the blond assured, "It's plannin' somethin' tanigh'."

It was a preposterous notion, to say the least, but something nagged at the back of William's mind. What if Slingby was right? What if a demon had crossed their borders? His eyes enlarged as the subject matter sunk in and the realization hit home.

"Take Grell to someplace safe. Keep him hidden from this thing. If you have not yet, have the hospital put into lock down. Have Dispatch start making rounds and quietly put the word out throughout the district. We do not want to stir panic or let this thing know we are on the watch."

He paused for a moment and looked around, keeping his eyes out for Alan, who should have been arriving any minute.

"As soon as I lay eyes upon Mister Humphries, I shall escort him to somewhere safe. If we run into trouble, I shall alert Dispatch immediately. Do you understand, Slingby? Get Sutcliff somewhere safe. If you are right, this demon will be after him as well as myself."

"I'm already ahead of ya, Boss. Was already plannin' on takin' Grell to an inn away from Dispatch," Eric replied. "An' Boss, keep yerself an' Al safe. Don' let this thing get ya."

"Will do, Mister Slingby, will do."

Eric pushed the end call button and pulled Grell into his arms, kissing the top of his red crown.

"It's gonna be alrigh' Grell. I'm gonna get ya someplace safe. The Boss will be safe ta. We'll get this monster an' send it back ta Hell." he assured.

 

* * *

 

 

Alan groaned; his head pounding. What had happened? He reached up to cradle his head.

_Tick…Tock…Tick…_

The sound echoed in his ears. Low in tone but shaking loud—so much so that he could feel it throughout his body.

Opening his eyes, he found gears. The inner workings of a clock, gigantic in size, surrounded him as he lay on the wooden floorboards. And far above him beautiful bells hanging high above his head. Sitting up, his face was lit by the light filtering through the gigantic inverted clock face.

Confused, he tried to push himself up. The last thing he remembered was walking down the street to meet William for lunch, and now he was in a clock tower? Alan stumbled over to the door, finding it locked.

"Good evening, Mister Humphries," Lily softly spoke as she slowly stepped from the shadows. "I was beginning to wonder if they had hit you harder over the head than I instructed. How do you feel?" she inquired, cocking her head, like a snake.

Alan slowly turned, "Miss Lily?" the confused look on his face only grew, "What is going on? Where are we?"

"I believe it is called 'Big Ben'," she replied, walking up to the brunet. "I brought you here. I really didn't want to involve you. After all, you weren't a part of killing him and, well, you were so kind to me when I arrived here, but no matter what I did, you just wouldn't leave Spears. How tragic."

"I don't understand… Leave William? Why would I leave him? Why would you want me to? And…involve me in what?"

"Hmm... I guess it is only fair to let you in on what has transpired," she smiled coyly. "First off, let me introduce myself. My real name is Lilith Megaera Erinyes. Does that name ring a bell, Alan?" She asked, running a single black nail down the brunet's cheek.

The name didn't register as important to his mind, but her suddenly black nails and red eyes did. He smacked her hand away and backed up, summoning his scythe. "You're a demon, that's all that is needed." He snapped as the reality began to strike him. "You're the one that attacked Will and Grell—who attacked Ronald!"

"I am more than a common demon, Alan. Please do not insult me as such. My father rules Hell," she sneered and backed away.

The sound of her twisted black heels echoed off the walls of the interior of the clock, as she walked to the south side of the tower and looked down. 

"You are correct, it was I who sewed that obnoxious redhead's mouth shut and sent your lover to the hospital. It was also I who was there and slit that man's throat, right in front of you. I wanted to see what you were like, Alan," Lilith smiled, mischievously as she looked back at the brunet from over her shoulder. "I was curious."

"Why?" Alan gripped his scythe, watching the demon carefully as she moved around the room. She didn't seem at all worried over his scythe being drawn, which only cautioned him. He couldn't afford to engage in a fight half-hazardly. He needed to strike only when he must, or was presented with opportunity. But now wasn't that time and he knew it.

The shadows in the room were strange to him. Twisted and too dark for the amount of light shining in. Remembering that Grell feared shadows after he had been attacked, Alan wasn't about to ignore such a seemingly harmless thing. If the shadows hid demons…then there were far too many places for the beasts to hide, here.

"Why?" She repeated, raising a brow.

Slowly, she turned around to face her prisoner and sat down on the ledge, crossing her legs.

"It's really quite simple, Alan" she smiled, "I punish murderers."

"Murderers? Reapers are no such things. We collect souls for judgment, that is all. We don't kill people."

Well, Grell had been known to kill, but he'd been punished for it and had learned his lesson…

"We only do our jobs as death gods."

"I beg to differ, Mister Humphries. I lay witness to Spears and Grell murdering once. Hence the reason I ventured into your little realm. Otherwise, I would never have come there. I find your world quite boring, to be honest," she rebuked. "Care to know who they slayed to evoke my temper?"

Alan gripped his scythe tighter, "William would never break our laws and protocol!" he snapped, "If you lost a contract to a reaper then you have the wrong reaper!"

"Oh, there was no contract involved," she replied, narrowing her eyes. "They took someone very precious away from me. Your lover and that loud mouth excuse for a grim reaper."

Her lips began to twist into a wicked smile and then she stood up. In the blink of an eye she was no longer standing there; she had melded with the shadows. The sound of her giggling bounced off the walls, like echoes in a cave, all around the brunet.

Scythe at the ready, Alan turned, keeping a sharp eye out for the woman. "Revenge is never worth it!" He shouted, "It only leads to more death and revenge! You've had your fun—it's time to give it up and return to Hell!"

"Not before I take what is most precious to Spears and Sutcliff," she hissed in Alan's ear, manifesting behind him with her hand around his throat.

A web of thorny vines begin to grow from the vines etched upon her flesh. The thorns upon each shadowy branch began to pierce Alan's skin as they wrapped their way around his arms and waist, ensnaring the small reaper, binding him.

"Do you like my thorns, Alan?" she asked, mocking him. "Do they not rival the ones you carry within your body? The ones that, even now, twist and turn, piercing you from the inside."

Alan gagged, his eyes wide as she lifted him just off his feet; but reapers didn't need to breathe. All she did by closing off his air flow was silence him and weaken him. Pain he was used to, and the shadowy thorns were painful, but nothing compared to his actual illness.

With one hand trying to pry Lily's hand from his throat, his other gripped his scythe and he swung it at her, aiming to cut into any part of her as he couldn't turn his head to spy a mark.

Lilith broke out in laughter as she retracted her thorny vines and dropped the brunet to the wooden planks beneath them.

"I have a scythe too, Alan. Remember?" she taunted as she summoned the scythe she had carried on her while working for Dispatch. "That lovely creature at the apartment complex was very useful to me. She provided me with many things while I stayed in your world. Including a delicious soul to savor. She tasted sweet, with just the slightest touch of innocence."

Alan pushed himself up, ignoring the blood dripping at his feet from where the shadows had cut into him. He narrowed his eyes at her, anger boiling in his soft heart. She had killed, she had lied, and she had used him and hurt his friends and lover.

Alan jumped at her, swinging his scythe at her, attacking with a cry of emotion. His movements were graceful, but powerful as he advanced, spinning his scythe in attempt to dispatch her.

"Is that the best you can do, Alan?" she teased, avoiding his advance. "Do you honestly believe you are going to leave this tower alive? Would you even want to – knowing your lover is no longer one of your kind?"

"You're trying to distract me—it won't work." He spun around and managed to score a strike; a thin but shallow cut slicing the demon's cheek.

Lilith laughed as she straightened up to her fullest height and lowered her hands to her side. With a flick of her tongue, forked at the tip and slightly longer than the average beings, she sampled the blood seeping from her cheek before the wound closed.

"Distracting?" she smiled, eyes gleaming. "I am doing nothing of the sort, Alan. I am playing with my meal, like a cat playing with a mouse. You see, there is no escape. You will die, tonight. I will have half of my revenge before this night over."

"You'll have to work for it!" Alan hissed, slicing his blade right across her middle, cutting her clean in half.  But the demon's look of shock didn't appear upon her face. Rather, she looked at him in a mocking pity, like a grownup humoring a small child who was trying his best but failing. Then her figure morphed into shadow; not a single drop of blood or record falling from what should have been a killing blow. She then rematerialized behind him with a laugh and a shiver ran down his back.

"I doubt that, Alan," she breathed into his ear.

Her right hand gripped his wrist tightly, forcing him to drop his scythe, while her left arm snaked around his waist, holding him pressed tightly, against her body.

"First, Spears will watch as I bleed your soul from your body and devour it. Then he will fall from grace and be cast into the pits of Hell. His blood is mine, Alan. I have tainted him; and after he morns your death and becomes whole, he will be my slave for eternity. Then, then I will finish off what I started with Sutcliff."

Her tongue began to stroke Alan's cheek and she hissed contently. She could taste fear and anger. It was nothing more than a glimpse of his soul, but oh – it was delicious.

"I didn't want to hurt you, Alan. I liked you, but you wouldn't let go of him, no matter what," she confessed. "Why? After everything I did to spare you, to save you. I had no quarrel with you. And now here we are..."

She closed her eyes and breathed his scent in.

"You were supposed to live. Grell is going to need someone alive to take care of him, but now he will have no one, because you wouldn't leave Spears. How selfish of you, Alan."

Alan grimaced, finding himself unable to move as the shadows in the room stretched out and took form, grabbing onto him to help hold him in place with a thorny grip.

It looked like there truly was no way out…

* * *

**To be continued…**


	33. Chapter 33

"Alan?!" William shouted racing up the stairs to the second floor of their home.

The minutes ticked by slowly. It had been nearly an hour since Will arrived at the French restaurant for his and Alan's lunch date, but Alan never showed. At half past the hour, William had tried to dial the brunet, but his call was directed immediately to Alan's voice messaging system. The only conclusion was Alan's phone was dead or it was turned off. Alan's phone was never off. Fear clutched William's heart and he knew something was amiss. Offering no reason for his departure, William burst out of the restaurant and headed for home. If anything had happened to his lover, he would be devastated.

He had chosen to take the route he knew Alan would most likely take to get there. It was his hope that if Alan had collapsed en route to their date, he might come upon him, but as he drew closer to home, he quickly discovered that was not the case. Alan was not lying in a gutter or on any street between the restaurant and home.

Was it a good sign or a bad sign? He didn't know. The only thing he could think of was, perhaps, Alan had made it back to the house before collapsing. However, to his dismay, Alan was no where on the ground floor of their home; and as he searched the second, it was becoming evident; the brunet was not there, either.

 A series of dull little tapping sounds started at the closed window of the bedroom as William stood in a worried shock. Slowly getting louder and more frequent.

"Huh...?"

William looked up towards the window. The curtains were drawn and he could not see the creature hidden there, tapping. Something in the pit of his stomach told him, bad news was awaiting him. He wiped away the thin layer of sweat that had formed on his brow and he licked his lips, moistening them. Where was Alan? What was going on? He was sure the answers lay with whatever was just outside the window, yet he hesitated to open the curtains.

The tap-tap-tapping continued, growing harder and louder as it almost seemed to threaten to break the window pane.

He took a deep breath and swallowed hard. With a shaky hand, he pulled the curtain back.

"What the..." William gasped stepping back.

He turned from the window, cowering and gagging. The stench of blood seeped in through the gaps around the glass. William knew instantly it was the blood of a reaper, but as to whose, he could not be sure; and that uncertainty made his blood run cold. He dared to look once more at the window. A lone raven hovered in midair, covered in the sticky substance; its wings beating against the pane as it screeched and squawked.

There was a message, etched upon the pane. The words, highlighted in reaper's blood, dripped painting the glass red.

_'When the bells toll twelve and the moon shines bright over where the mortals stroll, the rose will wilt with the end of it's time, because of your guilt.'_

William felt nauseated at first, but then anger pushed its way forward. In a fit of rage, he picked up the nearest object and threw it at the window, shattering the glass. The raven vanished, disbursing in a multitude of shadows. The blood covering  it's silky feathers, rained down on William's garden, leaving splatters of blood everywhere.

"Alan!" he bellowed, his eyes flashing red as he dropped to his knees and slammed his fist against the floor.

That creature, that demon, the one they had been hunting. That vile, disgusting, demon that had toyed with them. Who had nearly killed Grell and Ronald….

It had Alan.

William growled and he punched the floor again, this time breaking through the planks of wood beneath the carpet. His knuckles began to bleed, but he paid it no mind. He felt no pain; only anger.

"I _will_ destroy you, demon," he vowed, gazing at the blood stained window, breathing heavily. "You hear me?! I will _destroy_ you!"

* * *

 

Dark red blood dripped down pale flesh scarred with illness and pooled on the wooden floorboards under dangling toes. Naked, used, and torn, Alan was suspended in the air by thorny vines made of demonic shadows, his head hanging with his chin against his stilled chest.

Weak. He was weak and his body halted his breathing in attempt of healing and regaining energy.

Still alive, but still at the mercy of the demoness.

The room had grown dark, the only real light source coming from the flickering candles sitting on the old oak table to his left.  And from the right, dim light from the half-moon shown through the window. The demoness stood as a silhouette against it, the cloud cover causing the silver light to disperse and glow around her form.

Alan's eyes flickered over to her.

"It is such a pity," Lilith whispered.

Slowly, she turned around. Her eyes, accustomed to the dark, roamed his battered body. Her minions had done their job, but she was not happy. When her eyes met his, they softened and she felt as though she might shed a tear. Alan should never have been the bait. She was only after the raven-hair and the redhead, but somehow he and the others had landed in her path, keeping her from her revenge. It was too late for him now – the others as well. Still...

"I never wanted to involve you. I never wanted to harm you, Alan. Your soul is gentle. I would have imagined one day, it might have become heavenly. It doesn't belong in Hell," she confessed, remorsefully. "In truth, I have never known a reaper quite like you. I wish that I could spare you."

Alan's ears rang with a dull tone that distorted her words, but he still understood what she spoke. He parted his parched lips, desperately trying to take in a breath so he could use it to speak—to plead with the demon standing before him.

The seconds ticked by, bringing the great hands of the clock to point straight upwards at the twelve. There was less than a minute, now…

Almost reluctantly, Lilith began to walk. Her feet moved slowly across the blood soaked wood, Alan's blood muffling the sound of her heels. She could smell Spears approaching and she knew that the hour was close at hand, but she hesitated when she came up before the thorn-riddled reaper.

She was torn.

Her admiration for the reaper was messing with her mind. For a moment she considered releasing him, but Spears was growing closer. She had chosen this end and there was no turning back. Alan would remain with her always; a part of her. That was how it worked when a soul was devoured. It never truly died. Instead it became part of the demon.

"Alan... it's time," Lilith whispered, her fingers feathering across his worn face. "I'll be gentle, I promise."

Alan watched with wide, frightened, glasses-less eyes as she leaned in closer.

And then, right before her lips covered his, a loud, thundering gong struck, marking the midnight hour with its first chime, soon followed by more tolling of gigantic bells overhead. It was deafening, and the sound waves reverberated through Alan's body.

Finally, he was able to suck in a breath, only to waste it on a cry of pain, lost within the rings. Another attack—his last attack. Pain clenching the heart in his chest and making his entire restrained body tremble, though he could do little else.

Lilith closed her eyes and drank in his scream. She ignored the bell tower's tolls, the reaper was dying. The Thorns of Death were tearing his heart apart and in an act of kindness, she released his body from the thorny vines that held him prisoner. Carefully, she lowered him to the ground and held him tightly in her arms. Her eyes met his and she brushed the pads of her fingertips over his parched and pale lips. He was nearing his last breath, but she would claim him before that happened. Determined to end his suffering, she lowered her head, their lips a mere breath apart.

"Forgive me, Alan..." she whispered, sincerely.

Then she pressed her mouth to his and kissed him. She swallowed his pain and she swallowed his tears, and....

"No!"

William's protest as he burst into the room came too late. Alan's soul had released from his body and gathered in his mouth as a wisp of shimmering smoky white, glowing as it was coaxed by Lily's tongue into her mouth. She hummed, eyes closed as she savored the flavor. Sweet and innocent, yes, but not overly. Such a delicate flavor like a fine wine properly aged. The flavor lingered upon her tongue even after Alan was gone, laying limp in her arms, his eyes lifeless and lacking their usual sparkle.

Alan Humphries was dead.

"I wanted to keep you in other ways…" she whispered, ignoring William as she caressed Alan's cold, bloody cheek, "Very few are truly beautiful in this dark world…you were a light." She got up and carried him over to the table. Laying him out upon it before she finally turned to regard William, her soft gaze turning cold and cruel.

"You came too late, Spears."

William watched helplessly as Alan was carried and laid out; his soul gone; stolen. It felt as though a thousand daggers had struck his heart. He rushed forward, only to stop midway, leery of the demoness. His eyes flashed red as he took in her sight. He knew that face. Then with a twist of his head, his eyes returned to normal.

"What have you done..." William snarled, "...Lily Downs?"

"What I had to." The shadows in the room stretched out and slammed the door shut again. "It is all your fault. You did this to him."

She cooed, mockingly, "I tried to save him, but now…he is part of me; my darling Alan Humphries—and you killed him."

Will jumped from the sound, but quickly shook it off and returned his attention to the demoness. Her eyes were red and burned like the fires of Hell. He could feel the heat emanating from them as they burrowed through him, but he was not fazed. By dawn she would be dead. Nothing more than a pile of ash, swept away on the morning wind.

"I will kill you, demon. Mark my word, you will die before this night is over," William vowed, summoning his scythe.

"William…" She gave him a sad, longing look and her features changes gradually into Alan's face. Her long dark hair shortening to a short brown. The only difference was that her body and clothes did not change. A full woman from the shoulders down, clad in her tight green dress, "You would kill me again?" she spoke in Alan's voice.

William knew the face before him was naught but an illusion. Still the sound of Alan's voice – it resonated all around him and tore at his heart. Lilith was a wicked creature; vicious in her games.

He narrowed his eyes on her and pointed his scythe at her.

"You're not Alan," he snapped, saliva raining down from his curling lip. "Change back... at once!"

"How could you say that?" she pouted, "William…I thought you loved me…Remember how you kissed me that day in your office? How you almost took me right there against the door?"

"That wasn't you. That was Alan," he rebuked. "I've never touched you, demon—EVER!"

She laughed; the sound like bells, "Do you really believe that? Then how do you explain how you saw 'Alan' in your office when he was tending to a bloody nose in the men's room?" She reached out, choking him, her nails cutting into his neck.

" _Love_." She spat, "You didn't love him. You couldn't even tell the difference between the real Alan and a fake—you didn't deserve his heart!"

Blood poured down the column of his throat, dying his white shirt, red. His eyes began to bulge and he held fast to her wrist. He was beginning to grow dizzy as he struggled to pull the trigger on his scythe. She had moved so quickly, he hadn't even had enough time to react, to defend himself, before she was upon him, choking him.

"I... gave... him that... bloody... nose." Barely able to speak, Will still managed to find enough breath to reply.

"You pathetic thing… do you also think you forced him on the beach?" she laughed, throwing him across the room, watching as he hit a giant gear before crumpling to the floor.

He winced in pain when he struck his head against the large, metal wheel. The wind, too, had been knocked out of him as he hit the ground hard. Dazed, he looked up from the corner of his eye; he could see the demoness approaching, despite his glasses, sitting askew upon his face. He felt light-headed and sore; he reached up and touched the back of his head. Stickiness. He was bleeding. She had thrown him with such ease. Like he weigh less than a feather. She was just as strong as she was the night she had ambushed Grell and himself. He remembered how deadly quiet she moved and how, with no effort, she had tossed him against the wall. But why had they been targets? Why had she come to their realm? What was she after?

"Why?" he rasped.

"Why?" She raised a delicate black eyebrow, "Why, because you stole from me. You and that annoying redhead. You reapers think you are so high and mighty. Collecting souls nice and safe from us horrible demons. You expect us to starve and you'll kill us if we don't comply! You kill us—you killed him!"

William struggled to push himself up and in doing so, his spectacles slipped from his face and crashed to the floor before him; but he wasn't blind without them. Actually – quite the opposite. In fact he could see better than he ever could. He was confused and he stared in disbelief at them. But the sound of Lilith's heels tapping on the wooden floor, brought him back to the here and now, and he looked up at her.

"Lies... all of it," he snapped. "We do not deny you a thing, you guile, hell wench."

"Then how do you explain his blood on your hands? I watched you! I watched as you helped the redhead murder my lover! Had you not—we wouldn't be here now. You'd still have Alan by your side, and you wouldn't have ever known my wrath. This is revenge, Spears. You took my future, so I took yours!"

"No!" William shouted.

Rage burning, consuming him, he rose to his feet. His scythe at the ready with his finger on the trigger. He charged at the demoness. His once beautiful two-toned green eyes, now blazing with red fire. His anger growing to new heights, unaware that with each step he took, he was heading to his demise. Soon the demon he was becoming would be all that remained of him. His former life eradicated, by the she devil's taint.

"Ah, but I already have." She smirked, fading into the shadows, her voice echoing in the space around William, "Alan is part of me, now and forever, and you—well," her voice laughed again, "Just look at yourself! Hardly a reflection of the reaper you once were."

William's scythe passed through nothing as he came upon the spot Lilith had just been standing in. He skidded to a stop, breathing heavily. He listened to her carefully, his ears pricking at the sound of her laughter. He turned and growled as the demoness manifested on the opposite side of the gear room.

"I will reap his soul from your body."

He narrowed his eyes on her once again and charged, hell bent on ripping her to shreds.

"He'll still be dead." She smirked. "And you'd still be the monster you despise."

"I am reaper," bit back William.

He could not see the changes occurring in him, too distracted by the loss of his lover and the demon who mocked him.

He pulled the trigger, the pole of his scythe whizzed through the air. This time the demoness was not quick enough and the teeth of his clippers tore into her demonic flesh. The force slung her back and threw her into a giant gear. She stood, stunned, the scythe was lodged in her shoulder. William jerked the pole, pulling Lilith forward.

Lilith looked down, her mocking smile fading as she touched the pole in her, not even acknowledging that she had been slammed back into a gear. "…This wasn't part of the plan…"

"No. It's mine, Bitch." shot back the dissolving reaper, as a forked tail began to grow from his body, tearing through his clothing.

The smirk returned to her lips, "And that?" She nodded to his tail.

"Do not try and distract me... demon," William snarled, as he jerked her forward again.

The pain had been minimal and William had ignored it. His concentration to fixed on his nemesis. It was only when he heard the swoosh of his tail, that he turned his attention from her and onto the new appendage, grown from his lower back. The realization took a moment to sink in. When it finally did, William's expression turned from anger to horror. His eyes grew large and round as he turned to look back at the shadow demon.

"What have you done to me?"

Lilith's tongue poked out, licking her lips, "I think that is quite obvious."

"No, you could not have. When?" he asked, astonished as he reached behind him and touched the sensitive spot where the tail had emerged. "I was tested. I am not tainted."

"You were not tested after I bit you in the attic~" she cooed cruelly, "And now it's too late. You're fate is mine."

"Attic?" he breathed, "The burning mansion, but that was... Alan. No, it was a dream. It was not real."

She smirked, "As I wanted you to think of it." Snapping her fingers, shadows engulfed her and she was released from the scythe, reappearing behind William and leaning in, kissing the place she had bitten him. Her mark appeared glowing red on his skin, and a tingle of pleasure rippled through his body.

He closed his eyes and shivered from the erotic sensation of her breath on his flesh. The grip he had on his scythe tightened and the room grew warm. His cheeks became flushed and he felt as though he was going to be consumed by fire. He leaned into her touch and licked his lips.

"What are you doing to me?" he panted.

She slipped her arms around him, never taking her lips off the red marking to keep him under her spell. It'd be stronger in Hell and he'd be unable to harm her or disobey her. But up here she needed that contact. "Proving that you belong to me. You have since I infected you." She whispered. "Your temper, your blackouts, your violence…your uncontrollable lust…it was all because of me."

"I do not belong to you, you filthy dev-ahh..."

Her tongue swirled around her seal and it sent jolts of pleasure down his stomach to his groin. His grip began to loosen around his scythe and he tilted his head, providing her more access to her mark.

"I refuse to accept that. Nnn..." he groaned

"Mmm, you have no choice." She let her hands wander about his body, her fingers unzipping his fly and tugging his belt loose.

* * *

 

Grell moaned, shifting against the bed as Eric kissed along his sift white flesh lazily as they basked in the afterglow of their passion.

"Grell," breathed the blond, his fingers tangling in the mass of red hair on Grell's head. "Yer're so beautiful."

"I know." Grell smiled. He felt so much better after facing his fears to save Ronald. Not quite back to normal, but Eric could see his fire and passion again.

It had been hours since Eric and Grell arrived at the inn. Careful to hide their tracks, they packed only what they needed for a few nights stay. Their Dispatch phones sat waiting, on the nightstand next to their bed, for the call that Dispatch needed them. They had been anxious when they arrived, feeling as though a storm was growing and on the verge of releasing it's furry. But then the day had faded into night and Eric and Grell ventured from their room to enjoy a warm meal in the inn's one and only restaurant.

Once they returned to their room and no immediate threat seemed to be on the horizon, they took comfort in one another's company. Grell's facing the shadows seemed to have reignited a new fire in him, one that Eric was delighted to be witness to.

They had decided to take a bubble bath together which then lead to their making love for the first time since becoming lovers. Now, with their new love affirmed and their passions having been stoked over and over, Eric and Grell lay as one, the sheets twisted around their naked bodies.

The taste of Grell's strawberry infused flesh lingered on Eric's burning lips as he stared down into the redhead's smoldering eyes. This was the Grell he had fallen in love with. The one he had been afraid he had lost. The one the demon had nearly taken from him. The fire that had been extinguished in Grell was blazing once more and while Eric would have been with him no matter what, he was thankful to see the redhead's passion flickering behind those green and gold eyes of his, again.

"Ne'er gonna let ya go, Grell," Eric whispered. "I've fallen ta hard fer ya."

"Never say never." Grell said, nearly pointing out that he'd likely told Ronald something similar. But he relaxed, instead, closing his eyes.

Only to have the peace interrupted by the shrill of Eric's phone going off.

"…At least they waited until we were done?" he said, watching Eric groan and reach for it.

"I'm tempted ta ignore it," Eric scowled as he picked the phone up and glanced at the caller id. "Fuck!"

"Yeah," he answered. "It's after midnigh'. – Wha' da ya mean Alan an' Spear- Nah, hours ago. Spears was with Al. – Ya got a message? Wha' kindda message? – Whoa! Wha' in the blazes of Hell is goin' on, Darson. – Nah, ya tell me now."

Eric's eyes widened and he turned to look at the redhead, staring back him.

Grell crossed his arms, sitting up, "What's going on?"

"We'll be righ' there." Eric clicked the end call button and rubbed his face, shaking his head.

"I don' believe this is happenin'! Feels like some bloody fuckin' nigh'mare!" he wailed, slamming his fists into the ruffled sheets out of anger while pent up tears fell like rain from his eyes.

He gasped for air and slammed his fists back down once more, the muscles in his arms and neck straining, ready to pop. The sweat from his brow dripped down his tear sodden face and he looked up, heart pounding and chest aching. How was he going to tell the redhead what he had just been told? Everyone knew that the brunet was going to pass eventually. His disease was well known throughout reaper society, though rare for their kind to contract. But his ending, _now_?

Eric licked his lips, moistening them. His mouth had run dry as the blood drained from his head. He felt like he had been punched in the gut and he wanted nothing more than to be dreaming. Alan was his best friend, his former partner and one time student. The records had to be wrong.

"Eric." Grell grabbed his shoulders to make him stop, "What happened? I can't read your mind, you know."

"Grell..." the blond gasped, painfully. "His name-came up on the to-die-list."

"Who's name?" Grell frowned, confused, until he slowly realized it. "You don't mean…Allie?"

It was the only name that made sense. The only name that Eric would get worked up over. He loved Alan, but Alan was sick. He must have had his final attack. It was a long time coming, and Alan had already lived a lot longer than the doctors had hoped for…

"Get dressed." He demanded, getting up and gathering their clothes before moving around in front of Eric, saying nothing but pulling him into a hug.

"Aye, bu' tha's not all, Grell." Somberly, Eric lifted his head from the redhead's shoulder and cupped his face with both hands. He choked back another curse as his eyes locked with Grell's. "Dispatch does na believe he died from the Thorns. We're bein' sent ta London ta investigate. Dispatch received a strange, cryptic message, jus' before midnigh'. Shortly after tha', Alan's name appeared on the list, bu' his death was defined as lost, possible consumption. Spears is missin' ta. No one has been able ta reach him by phone."

"…We're leaving—now!" Grell said, releasing him and hopping as he pulled on his pants.

* * *

 

She was playing too much. Lilith knew that. She had been wounded and she knew reaper backup would soon be on the way. Once in Hell she'd be able to heal herself, and William wouldn't be able to get away from her.

She felt a little dizzy from blood loss, as it was.

With a hum, she continued to suck on Will's neck as she held her hand out to the side, summoning a dark portal to Hell. Once it was up, she guided him towards it. "Come, my pet."

William fought with all the strength he had left in him to not move, but the hell witch had drained him of nearly all his energy.  He was weak and vulnerable, but determined to resist her power over him, determined not set one foot through the portal. He was a reaper; he would never betray his own kind. Yet despite how hard he fought the urge, he was still slowly inching towards the dismal abyss awaiting him.

He hissed and turned his head away and his eyes fell on Alan's body, lying lifeless on the wooden table. The moonlight was illuminating his battered and bloodied flesh, and William's heart seized once again. His pain quickly turned to anger and he gritted his teeth. He swung his body, with all his might, away from Lilith's grasped. In his hand he spun his scythe. The pole launched and the clippers whooshed through the stale air...

"How--?" but the demon was too weak to stay and fight. Maybe if she had more time…or she hadn't been impaled earlier…

No. She had her revenge on him. He could never return to his world, and he was alone. She could come back for him at any time.

She turned towards the shadows, ready to flee through the portal she had created and was waiting for her. But she misjudged the speed of William's scythe, and it caught her in the back, forcing her forward, pushing her along as the open blades got caught on her spine.

Glass shattered as her body pitched through a panel making up the large clock face; and she screamed, falling back down towards London below.

If only she could—

* * *

 

William collapsed to the floor gasping for breath. "Alan..." he called out and using what little strength he had left, he crawled to the table where the dead reaper lay. He reached up and tugged on his lover's limp arm. He grunted as he struggled to pull Alan from the table and after several agonizing attempts, the brunet's body finally gave way, tumbling from the wooden surface and into his arms.

"Alan..." he cried rocking back and forth with Alan's body pressed to his aching chest. Blood seeped from the open wound on his neck where Lilith's mark sat upon his pinked flesh. It throbbed and he could still feel the burn of her venom where she pierced his skin and fed more of her vile poison into his body, but he ignored the discomfort and reached up to pet the brunet's once soft, brown locks, now sullied with dried blood. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

His lip was cracked and red liquid oozed from the slit as he pressed his mouth to Alan's cold, soiled lips. He knew his lover was no longer there, but he kissed him none-the-less.

"I love you..." he whispered.

But if he expected a sliver of a sign of life in the brunet, he was in for a disappointment.

Muffled sounds of feet stomping up the wooden steps and shouting of orders slowly grew louder on the other side of the door. But in his sorrow, William hardly registered it. A loud banging followed as someone kicked at the door until finally it broke free, its hinges giving away before the lock, and reapers piled into the tower, armed and ready for anything that may come at them.

But there was nothing. Nothing but a figure huddled behind a table, half hidden by a large gear.

"Outta the way!" Eric growled, pushing his way through the onslaught of collection agents as he and Grell raced up the tower stairs.

They arrived shortly after the others and discovered William's scythe standing erect in the middle of the street, outside the famous clock tower. It appeared it had been gouged into the cobblestone, by what they assumed, must have been a great force. Their boss was missing, no sign of him anywhere. There didn't seem to be any traces of blood on the stones beneath their feet, either, but the smell of sulfur was strong and it still lingered in the air. A demon had been there and most likely was still lurking about, somewhere.

Eric knew instantly something was not right. He looked up at the face of the clock above their heads. The glass had been shattered at the base of the pane. His gut twisted. Where was their boss?

"Spears?! Are ya up here?!" he shouted as he entered the gear room with Grell following close behind.

Grell followed, his eyes glaring at the shadows. But they were acting normally. Still, he didn't trust them, and he gripped his chainsaw, which Eric had returned to him before they arrived at the tower.

"Spears?!" Eric tried once more as he cautiously moved forward. Suddenly a movement from behind one of the large gears caught his attention and he turned back to the redhead, "Did ya see tha', Grell? Over there behind tha' Gear? I could swear I jus' saw somethin' move there."

Grell nodded. "But don't ask me, it might get away."

"Migh' be Spears, though. He could be wounded an' able ta answer." Eric looked about the space, an uneasy feeling washing over him. "Then again, it could be the demon."

Grell put his hand on his hip, "Are you going to lead this investigation or do I have to take over?"

Eric scowled and readied his scythe, "Let's go. The rest of ya blokes search the rest of the room, Grell an' I will search over there," he instructed pointing his scythe in the direction of where the movement came from."

"Gell stay close, I don' know what we may find back there, bu' I don' have a good feelin' abou' this."

"Either a demon or William." Grell guessed.

"Aye, an' Alan. He's suppose ta be here ta ya know," replied Eric as they approached the hidden area. "Spears, ya back there?"

Overcome with grief, William clung to his lover and ignored his impending subordinates. His future was now lost with Alan's soul and he didn't know how he could go on without him. But as he sat drowning in his despair, William was oblivious to the final changes occurring within him. The demonic poison that had tainted him destroyed what remained of the reaper he once was. The cold green eyes that had been his since his creation were forever gone and replaced with fiery red. Besides a forked tail, William had also sprouted a set of horns from the crown of his head. The nails on his hands grew and tore through the soft leather of his gloves, black as midnight. The blood in his body was no longer red, but black.

The demoness had won; he was now bound to the fires of Hell.

"Spears, wha' have ya done?!" Eric exclaimed as he rounded the gear first, his eyes falling on the dead brunet crushed to William's breast. His eyes next wandered to the former reaper's face and he gasped, "Wha' the Hell?!"

He felt Grell on his heel and swung around to intercept the redhead, before he could see what had become of their boss. "Grell, don' come back here."

But it was too late, and the redhead was not one to listen when he was curious. He rounded the corner and froze, his eyes widening.

"No…" his eyes stayed glued to the demon on the ground. "No, it can't be…It was you? All this time it was _you_? You did all this?!" Anger boiled within his heart. He had trusted William, and somehow…William had been the demon all along? He'd been the one to attack him and Ronald?

It strangely made sense. William had been there at the first attack. Sure, he'd gotten hurt, too, but maybe that was his cover. Will had also been the one to find Ronald, yet Alan had been found untouched when Ronald had been crucified. William wouldn’t harm his lover, after all… Not to mention he was so reluctant to believe a demon was in their realm. He fought the idea; possibly to cover for himself?

So now why had he killed him? What had changed? Has Alan found out the truth? Resisted him?

Grell gripped his chainsaw tighter.

William looked up then, hearing the redhead's familiar voice. His eyes were swollen and red, and he clutched the brunet protectively. He understood Grell's accusations, but they were wrong, dead wrong.

"Get away. Leave us be," he snarled, sensing the redhead's emotions, the anger brewing inside of him.

His new fangs began to grow and he bared them as the two reapers took another step closer. "I said to leave us be."

"You _killed_ Alan!" Grell snarled back, "Get away from him, Demon!"

He didn't understand how he had done it, but without any thought or effort, William found himself on his feet, Alan in his arms and glaring at the redhead.

"You are mistaken, Grell Sutcliff," William growled, lowering his head like a wolf forced to defend his territory. "He was my mate, my lover. I would never harm a single hair upon his head. It was the demon bitch who stole his soul. Her body lies, rotting, below this tower. Seek her out, if you do not believe me."

"The only demon here is you!" Grell's scythe roared to life, "Release Alan's body!"

"Grell!" Eric hollered, snatching the redhead around the waist and holding him back.

He was just as angry and upset over the loss of their friend. And he could see that their boss had changed and was no longer a reaper. That knowledge angered him almost as much as the fact William was the only demon there and the likely consumer of Alan's soul. It was disgusting to know that their boss had been tainted to the point of transformation; that quite possibly he had even fed upon, not only his former kind, but the one reaper he was supposedly in love with. Eric's lip curled at the thought. The scene laid out before him certainly didn't look good for William. Especially after weeks of stories spreading throughout Dispatch, that William had been abusive towards the gentle reaper, even raping him. Eric had seen changes in the manager's disposition and despite how badly he didn't want to believe the rumors, for Alan's sake, he found he couldn't. William's often times cold demeanor, just seem to add to the notion he could be abusive. Still, something didn't feel right and he wanted to know why.  It wouldn't be long before the others discovered William's demonic presence and either captured or killed him.

"I'm jus' as angry as ya are, bu' he's got Al in his arms an' he don' look like he is lettin' go. Use yer pretty little head, love. We're gonna find out wha's goin' on here. I still say somethin' ain't righ'. I wanna know before we do anythin' rash. Things don' add up."

"You can't expect me to just stand here when the demon has finally revealed himself!"

"No, bu' I do expect ya ta rationalize everythin'. Not ta mention, the higher-ups are gonna wan' him apprehended, if at all possible."

Grell grumbled to himself, crossing his arms.

"Good girl," Eric whispered.

He turned his attention back to the reaper turned demon and eyed him speculatively. "Spears, I wanna hear wha' ya have ta say fer yerself. An' I migh' warn... ya better not say the wrong thing. We have orders ta take ya in, so don't make any rash decisions, yerself."

"That demon, she did this, she took him." William growled and began to take a step back. He would not part with his beloved; not for anyone. "I arrived too late. She wanted to make me suffer. But then neither of you believe me, am I correct?"

"Sure looks like you're lying." Grell snapped.

"Spears there ain't no other demon round here, 'cept ya," Eric added, pointing his scythe him.

"I assure you, there is another and she will be after the redhead next, if she is indeed not dead," warned the demon, his eyes beginning to illuminate in the shadows. "I scythed her, but if you already found my scythe and found not a fragment of her there, then I can only assume she escaped somehow."

His tail began to wag, angrily. And despite his desire to be careful, his control was slipping. The bones within Alan's body began to snap under the pressure of his grip and new-found strength. He looked down at the deceased brunet and snarled. He was hurting his lover. He needed to sit him down somewhere, to protect him from Eric and Grell, and the others.

"Leave us!" he shouted, once more.

Grell grit his teeth, "As if killing him and stealing his soul wasn't enough—you're destroying his body!" All patients gone, Grell ran at William, aiming to rip through his neck.

"Woah!" Eric gasped as he watched the redhead rush the former reaper. There was no time to intervene and he watched William bolt from his spot with the brunet still tight in his grasp. There was, however, little space to move about in that section of the tower. Soon there would be no place for him to hide or escape, if he dared. He would have to surrender not before long.

The roar of Grell's scythe, had alerted the other agents and they came running to assist in whatever sort of battle was taking place behind the giant gears of the clock. Eric halted them, not wanting them to get involved, or for them to realize just what had happened to Spears. He needed information first or at least try to retrieve said information from the former reaper, that was, if Spears and Grell managed not to kill each other first.

Giving a smirk, he ordered them all back. Some he told to set up a perimeter around the tower and others to stand guard just outside the gear room door. He let them know that Sutcliff and himself could handle the demon that remained and not to interfere at all costs. The demon would be either killed or apprehended, but by their hands alone. The others obeyed without question.

"Coward!" Grell yelled over the sound of his scythe.

"Am I? It seems I am the one being hunted. I am, after all, unarmed and I did request that you leave us be." snapped Will as he once more ducked just in time.

Grell was relentless and William was trying to remain calm. There had to be a way to escape somewhere, so that he could steal away with his beloved. He couldn't for the life of him, depart without Alan. He knew there was no life in that body, but if his former subordinates got hold of it, Alan would be buried in their realm and he would be forbidden to visit. Of course that meant if he was not put to death first. No, there had to be someway to keep Alan with him. He would die before handing over the only other he had ever loved.

"Demons are never unarmed!" Grell snapped, aiming to cut through William's legs as Will jumped up onto a support beam. He jumped up to follow, "If you make me cut through Allie to get to you, I won't be merciful in carving you up like a Christmas goose!"

"Why will you not listen? I am not the one who consumed his soul," William glared, a slight curl to his lip. "Have you forgotten so easily as to who I am? What was done to you and by whom? Do you not find it convenient that Miss Downs showed up just as the odd occurrences began to take shape? Did she not give you a ruby pendant?"

He sighed in annoyance as the blades of the redhead's chainsaw barely missed the nose upon his face. He leapt down to the floor boards with a heavy thud and looked up. "I forget, Grell Sutcliff, you are impetuous and do not think with that head of yours. There is no sense in reasoning with you, is there? I pity you... you fool."

"Who?" Grell raised an eyebrow, "I know none by that name."

It was true. All record and memory of the woman had been wiped clean from Dispatch's memory. Lily had only let Alan and William remember her involvement.

"Lily Downs, you half wit," William barked as he crept further back into the shadows.

Grell glanced down at Eric with a confused look on his face, "Do you know a Lily Downs?"

"Can' say tha' I do, bu' ya did have a ruby pendant on this mornin' 'round yer neck," Eric replied looking up, then he turned his narrowed eyes on the former reaper. "I would like ta know how ya know abou' the pendant, Spears? Did ya somehow slip into our home an' place it 'round Grell's neck while she slept. I find it rather strange tha' the shadows tha' attacked us seemed ta be drawn ta tha' thing."

"Are you two mad? It was the reaper you know as Downs that deliberately gave that amulet to Grell. She used it to torture him, to track him." he looked incredulous  between the two agents. "She disclosed her plans to me before I tossed her from the tower."

"Stop lying, Will. You are making yourself look completely mad." Grell growled.

William growled and coward in the darkest corner he could find. Gently he lay down the dead reaper's body and kissed forehead. He ran his fingers tenderly over, Alan's cold, bruised cheek. Tears threatened to form in his eyes, but his anger kept them at bay and he stood. He glanced down once more at Alan, his heart raced with fear of never seeing him again. But it was becoming more difficult to hold onto him. He needed his arms free to defend himself and though it had been hard to let go, he was determined to stand his ground and defend what was his.

"I will not abandon you, my love."

"Hey Spears, we won' harm ya or Al, if ya jus' come out an' let us talk ta ya. I mean, ya ain't got no where else ta run an' if ya do, I'm afraid Grell may jus' tear ya ta shreds before I can stop her." Eric called out, resting his scythe upon his shoulder. "We got orders ta bring ya in. Well it was suppose ta be the demon tha' devoured Al, bu' tha' seems ta be ya, so won' ya come out an' let us take ya into custody?"

Grell looked back at Eric, "You have got to be kidding! He's not going to come turn himself in!"

Eric shrugged and cocked a grin up at his lover. "I'm jus' givin' the guy a chance ta turn himself in, is all. Don' wan' ta be accused of not followin' the rules, love."

While the blond was distracted by the redhead, William charged the unsuspecting agent. He always had liked Eric's work ethic and never had much issue with him. It was difficult to know he was now being forced to fight against the team of agents he used to manage. How troublesome. But if he allowed them to escort him back to the reaper realm, not only would he no longer see Alan, but he might, if not put to death, be experimented on. It was known to happen when tainted reapers were apprehended. William could not let that happen.

"Slingby!" he shouted.

"Don't touch him!" Grell shouted, charging William.

Eric and William tumbled to the ground rolling; they crashed into the table that Alan had been lain upon by the demoness. William struck first his new claws tearing the flesh from Eric's right cheek, just missing his eye. William ignored the oncoming redhead and Eric cried out in tremendous pain. Blood painted the demon's hand and streamed from the gashes on Eric's face. Instinctively, Eric threw up his hands and covered his throbbing cheek with them, dropping his saw on the floor next to his body. William took the advantage and snatched it up, turning to block Grell's attack just in the nick of time. Sparks flew as the scythes clashed.

William gritted his teeth and snarled at his former subordinate. "Shall I be forced to toss you from the tower as well, Sutcliff?"

"You can try—I won't be bested by you this time!" Grell yelled, kicking William back and off Eric.

"If I recall... last time you rather enjoyed my besting you," William taunted, getting to his feet and wiping his mouth. He pointed the blond's scythe at the redhead and narrowed his luminescent eyes upon him. "Are you confident you will not succumb to your baser instincts, Grell."

"Last time you were appealing to me. That man is dead." Grell narrowed his eyes, "I'll paint this tower red with you."

"Am I truly, Grell?" William asked as he stopped and lowered the scythe in his hands. "Dead? Or just the same soul residing in a new body which you now reject? How quickly you turn on me when I have been forced to become something I do not choose to be."

"You forget I have nothing against demons, unlike you." Grell hissed, managing to cut across Will's chest, though the cut was shallow. "But now I look at a disgraceful man who killed the person who loved and trusted him!"

William hissed from the sting caused by Grell's chainsaw, still he stood and made no other move towards his former partner.

"You unquestionably believe I would kill my lover? Honestly... you are such a fool, Grell Sutcliff," he scoffed. "She won't stop till she has her revenge on you as well. How will you suffer, when she takes Slingby from you? She might even sew your lips together once more and force you to watch as she rips your lover apart, limb by limb."

"Is that a threat?" Grell growled. As far as he could see, 'she' was William. Maybe his darker side he developed; a second personality.

"I should have known you would take it as such. I assure you it is no threat, but a warning. The demoness in question is Lilith and she will seek you out to finish what she started with you on that night, when your lips were sewn tight and the moon was blotted out. She wants us to pay, you and I, Grell, for ending her mate's life."

"You are drawing this out." Grell snapped, "How annoying." Lunging forward, he aimed to cut William completely in half.

William was not sure how he had managed to move so swiftly out of the way, but he found himself swirling away from Grell's chainsaw. He had become corporeal, nothing more than a shadow. His new demonic powers must have triggered without his thought. When he looked up looked up again, he saw the redhead standing before him. He had manifested directly behind the stunned redhead.  There was no time to ponder on what had just happened, so he brushed off his astonishment and pressed Eric's death scythe to Grell's back.

"Turn the retched machine off, Grell," he demanded.

"You would stab a lady in the back and demand she not fight back?" Grell glanced over his shoulder, not moving, but also not meeting the demand made of him.

"I intend to do no such thing," William said softly, but he did not lower the saw. "I am simply asking you to turn your scythe off so that I am not forced to reap you. If you will comply, I will lower my scythe."

"It's not _your_ scythe and you don't have the _right_ to reap anyone, Demon." Grell hissed.

William sighed, "For the time being it is mine. Now, if you would like to live and remain in the company of your new lover, I urge you to turn your scythe off and toss it out of reach. I am growing weary of dancing with you around this... this _tower_. Do I make myself clear?"

"I didn't ask you to dance—you _insisted_!"

Quick as a flash of lightning, Grell spun around kicking William back and into a brass bell so hard it tolled. The ring deafening.

William groaned and coiled into a ball from the sound. It was agony. All of London would hear the great bells sounding in the night, but it was not the hour. No, it was only half past the current hour and those within hearing distance would descend upon the clock tower to discover the meaning for the out of turn tolling. He needed to be gone from there with Alan. He needed to get him to safety, but as he turned to his lover, the dead reaper was no longer in the corner, hidden in the shadows. Someone had taken him while he was engaged in battle with the redhead.

"Slingby!" he roared, leaping to his feet. But the blond was nowhere in sight, only Grell standing in front him, his scythe at his throat. "Grell," he hissed.

"We trusted you." Grell hissed, "We shouldn't have…the clues were all there. Even before Alan, before you became Supervisor, the clues were there! And like a fool I still loved you."

William's eyes flashed with anger and his lip curled in disgust. He knew one false move could cost him his existence. He also was very much aware that Alan was now in the clutches of Dispatch and more than naught, safely in the reaper realm and utterly lost to him. That thought irked him more than any. Everything he had ever known or loved was robbed of him and the same would happen to Grell, if he was not made to reason.

But as William stood there eyeing the redhead, he knew that was impossible.

"You have always been a fool, Grell." he remarked, but stayed perfectly still. He had three options; allow Grell to escort him back to their realm, die at his hands, or escape to Hell. It hadn't escaped his notice that the portal Lilith had created was still open; it had just always been out of his reach. The two Dispatch agents always seemed to be between him and that option, forcing him to find alternate escape routes, if possible. Now as it stood, he might be fortunate enough to reach the portal, hidden from reaper eyes.

He had to be certain that was what he wanted. Hell meant slavery but here meant death and home meant uncertainty. Any which way he looked at it, any route he chose, meant an eternity without Alan. He wailed in anguish, "Do not talk to me of betrayal. Do not say his name. Hearing his name passing your lips, is like poison. You taint his very memory with your distrust and lies."

"You have truly lost who you used to be if you believe that." Grell hissed, tears gathered in the corners of his eyes, but they were hidden behind the glare of his lenses, "I never wanted to kill you, but now you leave me no choice."

The redhead took off, the pursuit feeling as if it were slow motion as William scrambled to his feet and sprinted. It was then Grell spotted the Hell Portal for the first time, and he yelled out, pushing to stop William from the only route of escape he had.

But it was too late, and Grell was forced to put on the brakes, skidding to a stop before he fell through the closing portal after William. A reaper entering Hell uninvited was suicide, after all.

"WILLIAM!" He screamed as the portal closed completely.

* * *

**To be continued...**


	34. Epilogue

At the top of the bluff that overlooked the grand Reaper Library supported an ornate granite tombstone adorned Alan Humphries freshly dug final resting place. The slab of gray stone had been stained with a light shade of purple to highlight the Ericas that had been carved along the length of the tombstone, placed over the length of his entire grave. It was on Eric's insistent that Ericas be the official flower of his eternal resting place.

The beautifully carved flowers didn't stop once they reached the headstone, either. In fact one side of the headstone had been carved out in the shape of the delicate little flowers. Alan's name, along with his creation date and the date of his second death had been etched into the face of the grave marker. And surrounding the grave site stood many flower arrangements, most of which were various species of Ericas.

Reapers from all over the United Kingdom were in attendance at the early morning grave side service. For those privileged to be there, it had been a great honor. It was not often a reaper was killed in the line of duty and even rarer for one to be murdered and consumed the way Alan had.

It had been one long and trying week since his soul had been stolen by the former reaper, William T. Spears. Or that was what had become the final declaration. All the evidence collected had been given to a committee of higher-ups, and while they reviewed all that was presented to them, Eric and Grell saw to the funeral arrangements.

Unfortunately for the former manager, all evidence that Lily Downs had ever existed had been wiped clean from all records and documents. Even reapers themselves had been completely stripped of her memory.

All except William who now labored away at the hands of his mistress Lilith.

Once the committee who had overseen Alan's murder case deliberated for several days, a unanimous decision was made. The committee came to the same exact conclusion that Grell and Eric had come to the night they found Alan dead in his lover's arms. It was then declared, publicly, that William was indeed the demon who had fed on the Alan's soul, therefore murdering him. In the end William's name was stricken from all records and he was branded a traitor.

As the sun climbed higher in the late morning sky, the reapers who had come to pay their respect slowly began to dwindle and depart. By noon the only reapers left weeping over Alan's grave, were two. Eric found he just could not leave his best friend.

His grief to great.

Next to him, Clover's head lay mournfully on Alan's grave. He did not understand why neither, William or Alan, had returned home, or why he was now to live with the blond and the redhead. Until the day they came to collect him, he had never even laid eyes upon them. Well the redhead he had. The redhead had dropped by home a few times, unannounced. His owner, William, had always tossed him out on his rear.

Clover felt lost and confused now, much the way he had when his mortal owner, the shepherd, had fallen into a deep sleep in the meadow; the day William had found him and took him in when he was just a pup. He loved his owner and he loved the brunet too. He knew that Alan was somehow buried beneath the great hard thing, but why? And where was William?

Softly he whimpered and from the corner of his eyes, he glanced up at the redhead, who stood over the blond.

Red hair flowed on a gentle wind as Grell reached out to place his gloved hand on Eric's shoulder. He had no words to offer in comfort. It wasn't a strong point of his and he didn't want to accidentally make things worse by speaking. They were both hurting, but in his heart, Grell knew that it was over. William wouldn't show his face again unless he had a death wish, and once he, Eric, and Ronald got over their pain of loosing two good friends at once, the three of them would be able to move on with their lives, unhindered by demonic attacks.

At the touch of Grell's warm hand, Eric looked up. His eyes were swollen and red from the tears that had steadily fallen. His chest was tight with pain. Life had taken a wicked turn, striking him where he could not mend wounds so easily. Alan had been a gentle soul. Caring, devoted and trusting. While Eric had never looked at Alan as anything more than a best friend or little brother, he loved him, and he had failed him somehow.

The day Alan had been assigned to Eric's department; he had taken it upon himself to be his mentor. He vowed to watch over the young rookie, to protect him. He didn't know why, but there was just an instant kinship to the young brunet, fresh from the academy. It was a devastating blow when Alan had contracted the Thorns of Death. But Eric remained by his side, watching over him.

Now, Alan was gone and Eric was beside himself. He had failed in that vow he had solemnly made.

"Grell?" he whispered, his voice low and cracking.

"Yes?" Grell lowered himself to his knees beside Eric, meeting his saddened gaze.

"I failed. I didna protect 'im. I swore ta watch over 'im. After..." Eric choked back another sob and clenched his fist around the grass beneath his hand. "He canna be gone. He didna deserve ta die like tha'. I wan' 'im back. I wan' ta tell 'im I'm sorry fer failin' him."

"Oh, Darling, no…" Grell pulled him into a hug, running his gloved fingers combing through the golden mane of hair upon his head, "None of this is your fault, my love. Alan trusted a man who betrayed him, used him… This is all on that demon's head."

"Are ya so sure?" Eric questioned as he gazed back into his lover's comforting eyes. "Somethin' still feels off ta me, Grell. I don' know if it's the grievin' or the naggin' feelin' I am forgettin' somethin', bu' I don' feel like I did all I could fer 'im. I feel like I'm trapped in some sorta nigh'mare."

"That's because we have been living one. Ever since the day William first attacked and so cruelly sewn my lips tight. The horrors Ronnie, Alan, you and I have lived caused by one we trusted… It's surreal and it will take time for us all to heal completely."

Eric shook his head, pulling the grass from its roots. "Bu' tha' is the thing, Grell. When did Spears become a demon? How? He was negative fer taint after tha' incident. I canna shake it, Grell. I know we've missed somethin'. Alan, he'd..." he swallowed and lowered his head.

"The day before he killed Alan," Grell reminded gently, "William still looked like and gave off a reaper's aura. It was as if he was completely reaper, yet the following day he was completely demon when we walked in on him consuming Alan's soul. Demons are able to appear human to actual humans, perhaps some are strong enough to appear reaper to actual reapers."

"No!" Eric shouted, standing up, agitated and upset. The thought that a demon could hide amongst them, undetected, was ludicrous. "Alan, he'd never fall fer a demon. I don' believe tha'."

Eric stormed over to the edge of the bluff. The tips of his shoes sat over the edge and he looked down over the grand library. Alan's soul should have been stored within its walls. Instead it was now apart of the demon that consumed it: Spears.

"Why?!" he yelled, his voice echoing over the valley below.

"Don't be so sure… Demons are masters of seduction. I hate the facts, too, Love. But you can't deny them. William wasn't the dating type, but all of a sudden he had a huge interest in our Allie. It's a bit suspicious, to be completely honest. And then there are the rumors and evidence of abuse. All the while Alan was putty in his hands."

"But Al, Grell, he'd never lie ta me. He swore tha' Spears didna do any of those things. I don' wanna believe tha' Al would lie, tha' he would change like tha', ta protect Spears. Tha' isn't who he was."

"He may not even have remembered it." Grell pointed out, "Will could have clouded his mind to it." He approached Eric and slipped his arms around him from behind, "Alan was a victim, Eric."

"I encouraged 'im," Eric confessed, "I told 'im ta give Spears a chance. Ta take a chance on lovin' someone, before the Thorns took 'im."

"You couldn't have known." Grell shook his head, "And not even demons live forever. He'll meet his end and when that happens, Alan's soul will finally find peace."

Eric turned slowly around. New tears were staining his cheek as they trickled down his face. Sweat glistened on his brow in the afternoon sun and his chest was heaving as he took each pain filled breath. He stared back at Grell, his lip trembling. "Wha' if we're wrong?"

"We have nothing to suggest otherwise." Grell pointed out gently, "There is no reason to doubt what we witnessed at this time."

Eric nodded and wiped at the tears still running down his cheeks. He wasn't sure he could convince himself otherwise at the present. Everything was so charged; his emotions raw. The world he knew had been flipped upside down and he wasn't sure if it could ever be righted. Thankful to have Grell by his side, Eric cupped his face. But as he gazed into the redhead's questioning eyes, William's words returned to him, warning him like a ghost that Grell might still be in danger.

_'I assure you, there is another and she will be after the redhead next, if she is indeed not dead. I scythed her, but if you already found my scythe and found not a fragment of her there, then I can only assume she escaped somehow.'_

Eric's expression changed from grief to fear.

"It's over." Grell whispered, kissing his cheek, "For now, it's over and all we can do is heal and move on. You stood by me in my time of weakness…and now I'll stand by you in your grief."

"Wha' if its not, Grell. Spears is not dead, nor caught... an' wha' if there is another?" He swallowed. "I canna lose ya too."

"And you won't. I've snapped out of it and faced my fear. It won't be easy to take me down again." Grell promised.

"I know," Eric whispered, "I know, love." But inside he wasn't so sure. The demon had already caused Grell harm, nearly killed Ronald and devoured Alan's soul. If Spears wasn't the demon behind it all, then it had to be the demon that had tainted him; poisoned his blood and turned him into a puppet of Hell. For now though, he decided it was better to keep quiet on the matter. Everyone else seemed to be content with the way things had turned out, but Eric still suffered nagging questions and judging by Grell's state of mind, he was better off accepting what his lover was convinced was truth. They were already grieving as is, to add strife would only add more grief.

"I jus' wan' Al back, is all," he added, slipping his arms around the redhead's tiny waist. He sought solace in Grell's embrace, a salve to heal the wound carved into his heart. The pain of the week still driving into him like a dagger.

"We all do, Love, we all do…"

* * *

 

What had been merely a week for his former comrades and subordinates, had been more than fifty years for William in Hell; and his heart ached every single agonizing day for his deceased lover. Alan's memory had not faded in all the time he had wallowed away in the pits of fire, but instead they grew more vibrant and detailed with each year. His mistress was, for one, to never let him forget what she had done, and now as he stood before her, his lip curled in disdain for the she-devil. She was beyond evil. More cruel than he could ever have imagined or any demon he had crossed paths with. She toyed with his emotions and she forced him to wreak havoc on his fellows, the ones captured or tainted and brought to Hell.

He was at leisure when he was summoned to Lilith's bed chamber. Basking in peace, left to his own devices, to do as he pleased. For the life of him, he could not fathom what she would require his serves for at such time. She seldom bothered him in his free time and therefore his irritation was evident on his face as he knelt before her, bowing his head.

"You sent for me?" He inquired, daring not to look up until she had bid him to do so.

Lilith lay posed seductively upon her lavish bed and looking like a queen of Hell as she flicked her wrist to summon him closer. "It was a lovely funeral," she cooed in a mockingly sweet tone, "Your dear Alan was quite loved. Shame you couldn't attend, William."

"How is it you know of his funeral?" William asked, his temper boiling beneath the surface. His fingers itched to wrap themselves about her throat and throttle her, though it would do little good. She would only melt into a shadow and slip from his grasp, then she would have him punished for disobedience.

"And because of what you have done to me, you know I would not have been allowed to attend. Why is it you seek to torment me further? What pleasure do you derive from seeing me grieve? Has not your revenge been satisfied by tainting me and imprisoning me, _here_." He emphasized, by letting his eyes wander over the repugnant and gaudy bed chamber.

"You should know me better than that my dear." She giggled, sitting up. "I attended it in the shadows, and I could have allowed you to do so as well, had I felt kind. However, I brought you a gift from his burial, should you want it. The price is for you to beg."

 "What could you have possibly brought from his funeral that I would want?" William replied as his eyes narrowed on her. He didn't trust her beyond measure, and so he bit his tongue, though he wished to say more. It was in his best interest to see what she had to offer before dismissing it altogether. She enjoyed toying with him, playing with his mind, and while he would deny it, he was intrigued.

"Something…sweet that the soul inside me wished for me to give you." She shrugged as if she couldn't care less. "I'm not sure if you know this as I have been starving you of souls, but once a demon takes a soul, it becomes part of them. I can feel the desires of each one, including your Alan. You may not believe me, but I am quite fond of him, myself, and so I let him convince me to offer this single kindness to you."

William's eyes flashed with anger and he lurched forward snarling, "You starve me and then play games. Out with it. I will not beg for something I know not what it is."

"It is a gift from your heart, not your mistress." She smirked with an indifferent shrug, "I would be fine with not giving it to you, and rather order you to satisfy my needs this night."

"Play games with me not, Lilith. I demand to know what it is that you hide." He growled lowering his head, his tail wagging violently behind him. His eyes became slits and he knew he was treading on thin ice; however, he would not lower himself to beg if she was only playing with his mind, yet again. Defiantly he took another step closer to her. "I refuse to play, unless I know my prize."

"Who's plying? I simply ask to see you on your hands and knees at my feet in exchange for my kindness. It isn't too much to ask. I could wish for much worse."

"...Tch..." he hissed and looked down and closed his eyes. His fists were clenched and he knew she would not budge. Punishment of the mind or punishment of the body? Would he do as she bid and trust there was something to gain? Or defy her further and risk her wrath?

"You win, Lilith," whispered the reaper turned demon as he lowered himself to the ground. On his hands and knees he crawled the rest of the way to her, and with his head still bowed, he kissed her leather glad knee. "Mistress, please allow me to see the gift you were so kind as to bring me."

"Mmmh, you look so nice when you are like this," she cooed, running her sharp fingernails through his hair.

"Stay like this and I shall show you." She produced a thin silver chain, on which hung a pendant of crystal which encased a single pink Erica flower. "I even preserved it for you, aren't I a kind Mistress, William?" She dangled it in front of his face.

William dared to look up, hearing the chain as it fell from her hand, then swung before his eyes. "Most kind," William breathed as he lowered his lips to her thigh. "May I wear it... always, Mistress?" he asked as he moved to her other leather clad thigh.

"If that is your wish, once I hand over possession of it." She nodded, watching as he forced himself to worship her like a goddess.  She fell silent, simply watching as he made his silent pleas for the treasure.

"That's a good pet. Yes, d—" her voice and her posture changed quite suddenly; her eyes flickering green-gold as she took William's hand, gently, like that of a lover. And when she spoke, it was with Alan's voice.

"William… I hate…seeing you like…this…" Alan's voice was breathy and weak, as if the soul within the demon's body was using all it's strength just to take control for a few seconds, "Find…a way to break…free… Will—"

She shook her head, eyes returning to normal and she dropped his hand and the pendant, pulling away and moving across the room, looking at herself in the mirror. She looked pale.

"That…shouldn't be possible…" she gasped. She had felt herself being pushed to the back by all the souls inside her, and she knew who had spoken.

She rounded on William, "What was said?" she demanded, marching over to him and grabbing his hair, pulling him up to meet her gaze.

He smiled ruefully up at her, his grip on her wrist squeezing as she clutched his raven locks. He wore spectacles no longer and so there was no glass to deflect the gleam in his eyes that matched the smile upon his face. His Alan had somehow surfaced and threw the bitch off her mighty throne. She was unsettled by the occurrence, that a soul could be so strong to posses her. It was one thing for a devoured soul to influence emotion, but to out right posses its host was unheard of.  

"As if I would tell you." he grunted.

* * *

**-End-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy April Fool's Day!  
> We promise we aren't fooling you with a fake ending. This is really it.  
> XD Haha Timing is just so perfectly cruel on this...  
> Anyway, Thank you for reading and we hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> One last gift. DareDreemer has made a soundtrack playlist inspired by this work. Check it out if you are interested!
> 
>  
> 
> [When The Bell Tower Tolls Soundtrack](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZv_BmLvUi2STLuyE0Tvf7GUI-hmAahyV)   
> 


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